Northwestern head men’s basketball coach Chris Collins has announced Tavaras Hardy as the first member of his coaching staff.

"I’m thrilled to have Tavaras as a member of our coaching staff," Collins said. "His first-hand experience as a student-athlete at Northwestern is a tremendous asset to the program in that he understands what a special place this is and what it takes to be successful here. He is an outstanding talent in our profession and has a great understanding of the game. Tavaras has an excellent ability to communicate with young players which makes him a terrific recruiter and mentor."

"I am extremely excited to join Coach Collins as he begins his journey to lead Northwestern Basketball," Hardy said. "He has an incredible knowledge and passion for the game, which shows in every conversation. Coach Collins has shown a tremendous amount of trust in me and I am grateful for the opportunity to help him execute his plan to build a championship basketball program at my alma mater."

Hardy has been a member of the Northwestern coaching staff for the last seven seasons, including serving as the associate head coach each of the last two years. During his tenure, the Wildcats reached postseason play four consecutive seasons from 2009-12 while helping the team to a school-record 20 wins in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 campaigns.

A 2002 graduate of Northwestern, Hardy was a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a three-time team MVP as a player. He ranks 25th in school history with 1,122 career points.

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