Tyron Wright has been hired as an assistant coach for the Air Force men’s basketball program, according to head coach Dave Pilipovich. Wright, who was an assistant coach for Air Force from 2006-09 and a graduate assistant coach for the Falcons during the 2000-01 campaign, worked in the registrar’s office at the Academy and was an assistant basketball coach at the USAFA Prep School for the past three years.
Wright, who earned his bachelor’s degree in human factors engineering in 2000 from the Academy, enjoyed a stellar basketball career with the Falcons. After spending his first two years with the junior varsity, he became a two-year starter for the varsity. He burst on the scene in 1999 as a junior to lead Air Force in scoring with an 18.2 average. His scoring average still ranks as the third-best in school history for a first-year player.
Wright ended that season as a second-team all-conference selection and was twice named conference player of the week. He earned his first player of the week honor after scoring a career-high 36 points and grabbing 11 rebounds vs. SMU. Wright shattered the school record for most points by a reserve with 31 in a win over Denver.
An all-around player, Wright finished second on the team in scoring, rebounding and assists as a senior, averaging 13.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Following the 2000-01 season, Wright was assigned to Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where he served as an ACE lieutenant for the 12th communications squadron. Upon the completion of his ACE tour in 2003, he joined the 509th communications squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri as the support flight commander.
In 2004, he became the network systems flight commander, then was hired as the executive officer to the commander of the maintenance group in June of 2005. While assigned to the 509th maintenance group, Wright was deployed to Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, where he served as the executive officer to the 386th maintenance group commander. He then served as the executive officer to the commander of the 509th maintenance group.
In 2003, `04 and `06, Wright was selected to represent the Air Force in the Armed Forces Basketball Tournament and was named all-tournament all three years. As a result of his performance in 2003, he was also chosen to represent the United States Military in international competition at the Military World Games held in Cantania, Italy.
Most recently, Wright was selected to coach the All-Air Force Team at the Armed Forces Tournament in April 2011. The team went undefeated and won the gold medal, which qualified Wright to coach the Armed Forces Team in international competition at the CISM World Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July 2011. The team tied for the best record at the tournament, and was one of five U.S. teams to medal with a third-place finish.
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