Rodney Crawford, who served as an assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky the past three years, was named assistant men’s basketball coach at Fordham University it was announced today by head coach Jeff Neubauer.
“I’m pleased that Rodney is joining me at Fordham,” Neubauer said. “He was a big part of the recent success we had at Eastern Kentucky and brings a wealth of experience to Fordham, including experience in the Atlantic 10. He did a great job coaching the defense at Eastern Kentucky and I’m sure that he will translate that toughness here to Fordham.”
As a member of Neubauer’s staff at Eastern Kentucky the past three years, Crawford was tasked with changing the team’s defensive philosophy to a more aggressive man-to-man system. The results paid off as the Colonels had three of the most successful seasons in program history. Last year, the Colonels won 21 games, their third straight 20-win season, while the 2012-13 squad won a school record 25 games, including EKU’s first national postseason tournament win in 68 years. In 2013-14, the Colonels won 24 games along with an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship and made a trip to the NCAA Tournament where Eastern nearly upset second-seeded Kansas in the second round.
Eastern Kentucky’s 70 wins the last three seasons are the most during any three-year period in program history. Last winter, the Colonels led the NCAA Division I in turnover margin (+7.2) and they also ranked second in the NCAA in steals/game (9.1) while leading the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring defense (63.6). In 2013-14, EKU was second in the nation in turnover margin (+6.3) after forcing 16.9 turnovers per game. The team also ranked sixth in the nation in steals and second in the conference in scoring defense (70.9 ppg) while in 2012-13 the Colonels forced 17.5 turnovers per game and ranked fourth in the nation in turnover margin (+5.69). Eastern finished second in the OVC in three-point field goal defense and third in steals.
Before arriving at Eastern Kentucky, Crawford served the two seasons as an assistant coach at Duquesne where he helped the Dukes equal a program record with 10 conference wins in 2010-11.
Prior to entering the collegiate coaching ranks, Crawford spent four years coaching at the prep level. Crawford compiled a combined 102-12 record as head coach at Harmony Community School in Cincinnati and The Academy at Mountain State University in Beckley, W.Va. In that time frame, Crawford coached more than 20 future NCAA Division I players.
As head coach and director of student operations at Mountain State Academy, the Falcons posted a 22-4 record in 2009-10 which included an ESPNU nationally televised 59-53 win over Oak Hill Academy in the quarterfinals of the ESPN RISE National High School Basketball Invitational. Mountain State Academy finished the season ranked No. 17 nationally in USA Today’s Super 25.
As a collegiate player, Crawford played in 49 career games for head coach Bob Huggins at Cincinnati (2000-02). The Bearcats went 56-14 in his two seasons with back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. The 2001-02 UC team finished 31-4 overall and ranked No. 5 nationally by The Associated Press.
http://www.fordhamsports.com/news/2015/4/22/MBB_0422151242.aspx
Photo Courtesy Fordham Athletics
