American University men’s basketball head coach Mike Brennan announced two additions to his staff for the 2015-16 season. After two years away from the program, Eddie Jackson returns as an assistant coach, while Tommy Strine has been tabbed as the director of basketball operations.
Jackson and Strine round out Brennan’s bench for this coming season, joining top assistant coaches Scott Greenman and Matt Wolff.
Jackson spent seven seasons with the Eagles from 2006-13 under then-head coach Jeff Jones, serving on the men’s basketball staff for AU’s first-ever and back-to-back NCAA Tournament teams in 2008 and 2009.
“We are extremely excited and fortunate to bring Eddie back to AU as an assistant coach,” said Brennan. “Eddie’s strength as a recruiter, coupled with his ability to build relationships with players, will be an invaluable addition to our program.”
Jackson, who began his tenure at AU as the director of basketball operations, was promoted to assistant coach in 2009 and was instrumental in helping shape the winning Eagles tradition. Jackson came to American after spending time coaching at both the high school and AAU levels. He served as an assistant varsity coach at South Lakes High School in Reston, Va., and the head coach with Nova UNITED AAU Basketball Club in the DMV-area. Jackson graduated from Ohio State in 2000.
Strine comes to D.C. from nearby University of Richmond, having spent the past season as the team’s video coordinator.
“I am excited to bring Tommy on board at AU. He comes highly recommended from the staff at Richmond as a hardworking, energetic and knowledgeable basketball mind that will be a great asset to our program.”
Prior to his time at Richmond during which the Spiders made a run to the NIT Quarterfinals, Strine spent five years in administrative and coaching roles at the AAU and high school levels. He began his coaching career as the President of Teams for Spiece Basketball in Fort Wayne, Ind., before coaching the JV team and serving as assistant varsity coach at Marion High School in Indiana. Strine played one year collegiately at Division II Anderson University (Ind.) before injuries cut his career short. He graduated from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) in 2014.
http://www.aueagles.com/sports/m-baskbl/2015-16/releases/20150728
