Tae Norwood has been hired as the new head coach of the Humboldt State University men’s basketball team. It marks the next step in the evolution of a coach with nearly two decades of experience at all levels of collegiate athletics.
“First off, my most sincere thank you to President Jackson, Director of Athletics Jane Teixeira, and the hiring committee for this remarkable opportunity,” Norwood said. “I plan to recruit quality student-athletes who are conscientious, have character, and are dedicated to their academics. I hope to increase retention and improve the graduation rates of the program, while cultivating our student-athletes’ physical, mental, and emotional health. My plan is to work closely with members of Humboldt County and the HSU community, developing relationships to provide a unique and quality experience for the totality of the student-athlete.”
Norwood earned his first head coaching job this past season when he took over the program at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Fla. During the 2019-20 season his fast paced style of play led the Seahawks to a 22-8 record, a share of the Conference regular season championship, and a spot in the NAIA Tournament. Keiser had three all-conference selections, including Sun Conference Player of the Year Mark Gordon. Norwood prides himself on ensuring student-athletes earn their degree. In the past ten years, he is proud to say he has been instrumental in achieving over a 95% graduation rate, with multiple academic all conference honorees.
Humboldt State’s Athletic Director, Jane Teixeira said, “The search committee did an amazing job finding Tae amongst the 120 plus applicant pool. Tae brings so much to the table as a coach, he is a mentor of young people and a leader. He will truly add to this community in ways that are beyond the hardwood court. We are excited to have him on board to lead the Men’s Basketball program.”
“We will play a fast-paced, exciting brand of basketball,” Norwood said. “My team will play an aggressive style of defense focused on fatiguing our opponents both mentally and physically. We will push the tempo with patient aggression while influencing the opponent to make uncomfortable and out-of-control plays. Lastly, I plan for our team to develop great habits, compete at the top of CCAA on yearly basis, and strive to play in the NCAA Tournament annually.”
Norwood coached at Lynn University for six seasons, serving five as the associate head coach, and the Fighting Knights advanced to the South Region finals in 2015 and 2018. He was named the National Assistant Coach of the Year by Coach Stat in 2018. He gained experience for his run at Lynn with stints at Northern Michigan, Grambling State, Florida Gulf Coast, Georgia Southern, Florida Southern, Bloomsburg and Milligan College.
“The theme of my career has always been servant leadership, to serve the student-athletes,” Norwood said. “As the leader of the program, my job is to develop, maturate, and cultivate the young men in the program. I feel it’s my obligation to help them evolve and grow into servant leaders and pillars of their community. Over my 16-year journey as a coach and mentor, I have been fortunate to work alongside and learn from numerous members of the coaching community, providing me with a diverse coaching portfolio, which has given me this opportunity. I hope to make Humboldt State proud.”
Norwood was a four-year letter-winner at Green Mountain College, earning two all-conference selections and helping the Eagles win three conference championships. The program’s all-time leader in steals, he was inducted into the Green Mountain Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. He has a bachelor’s degree in recreation and leisure services from Green Mountain and a master’s degree in health and kinesiology with a focus on coaching from Georgia Southern. Norwood is set to begin his new post on June 2, 2020.
