Middle Tennessee Men’s Basketball didn’t have to wait long to find its new Assistant Coach as 14-year coaching veteran Turner Battle has joined the program, Head Coach Nick McDevitt announced.
Battle brings with him experience from stops at four different Division I programs, including two in the state of Tennessee and one in Conference USA.
“I am thrilled and appreciative to join the staff here at Middle Tennessee,” Battle said. “This program has a rich history and my family and I are excited to be a part of it. I’m eager to help develop our young players on and off the court.”
Battle spent the 2020-21 season at East Tennessee State under Head Coach Jason Shay, helping lead the Bucs to the SoCon semifinals in his lone season in Johnson City.
Prior to ETSU Battle spent six seasons at UAB, the first two under Jerod Haase and the last four under Rob Ehsan who elevated Battle to Associate Head Coach.
His tenure in Birmingham saw the Blazers tally four 20-plus win seasons and earn three postseason berths, one of which included a win over Iowa State in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
The Blazers won their first C-USA title in Battle’s first year on the staff before going on to the big dance, collected a program record 26 wins with a 16-2 mark in league play in year two and made their 12th trip to the National Invitational Tournament, and won 20 games again in 2017-18 and 2018-19 with the latter resulting in a trip to the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
Before arriving in Birmingham, Battle spent the 2013-14 season alongside current Blue Raider Assistant Wes Long on the coaching staff at Chattanooga, where the pair helped lead the Mocs to a second place finish in the SoCon and a berth in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
Battle began his coaching career at his alma mater, Buffalo, where he served as an assistant coach from 2007-13. The Bulls compiled a 103-89 record in that span and made postseason appearances in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
“I am thrilled about adding Turner Battle to our coaching staff here at Middle Tennessee,” McDevitt exclaimed. “He has a very strong reputation of recruiting and developing players both on and off the floor, and his knowledge of this region and experience in Conference USA will serve our program very well.”
Battle both played for and coached under head coach Reggie Witherspoon while at Buffalo, and was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in 2005 after leading the Bulls to a 23-win season while averaging 15.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He went on to a pro career in Europe before joining Witherspoon’s staff in 2007.
A 2010 UB Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Battle tallied 1,414 points, 458 assists and 170 steals, earned 2005 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American honors and was a three-time All-MAC Academic performer before going on to a pro career in Estonia, France, Sweden, the NBA Developmental League and the American Basketball Association before returning to his alma mater to begin his coaching career.
Battle holds a master’s degree in sports administration from Canisus and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Buffalo.
A native of Kernersville, N.C., Battle and his wife Clare have two daughters, Maya and Reena, and a son, Turner Jr.
Battle joins MTSU MBB Staff
