Former University of Cincinnati player and Fordham associate head coach Rodney Crawford has joined the Bearcats’ men’s basketball staff as its director of player personnel head coach John Brannen announced Wednesday.
Crawford, who attended Cincinnati’s Withrow High School and played at UC under Bob Huggins for two seasons (2001, 2002), returns to the Bearcats’ program after spending the past four years on the coaching staff at Fordham, including the last three as associate head coach.
“We want to welcome Rodney and his family back home,” UC head coach John Brannen said. “Rodney brings not only vast experience to his position, but also exemplifies what it means to be a successful student-athlete here at the University of Cincinnati.”
With Fordham, Crawford helped direct the Rams to the 2016 CollegeInsiders.com Tournament (CIT), the program’s first postseason appearance since 1992. Fordham ranked nationally in steals and turnovers forced during both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 campaigns.
Prior to Fordham, Crawford spent three seasons on the coaching staff at Eastern Kentucky where he helped the Colonels to 70 wins (most during any three-year period in program history), including a school-record 25 victories in 2012-13. EKU won 24 games in 2013-14 while claiming the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and appearing in the NCAA Tournament. The Colonels ranked nationally in steals and turnover margin all three seasons during Crawford’s stay in Richmond, Ky.
Before arriving at Eastern Kentucky, Crawford spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Duquesne, including the 2010-11 campaign when the Dukes matched the program record for conference wins with 10.
Prior to serving as a collegiate assistant coach, Crawford worked a combined five seasons at the prep level, coaching more than 20 future NCAA Division I players while leading programs at Harmony Community School in Cincinnati and Mountain State University in Beckley, W.Va.
Crawford played as a reserve at Cincinnati during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 campaigns. During his stay, the Bearcats compiled a 56-14 mark with two NCAA Tournament appearances. Crawford’s senior campaign saw UC post a 31-4 mark and climb as high as fifth in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings.
He and his wife, Tracy, have two daughters, Jocelyn and Jordyn and a son, Rodney, Jr.
THE CRAWFORD FILE
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Alma Mater:Cincinnati, 2002
Family: wife, Tracy; daughters, Jocelyn and Jordyn; son, Rodney, Jr.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2004-05 to 2007-08 – Head Coach, Harmony Community School (Cincinnati, Ohio)
2009-10 – Head Coach, Mountain State University (Beckley, W.Va.)
2010-11 to 2011-12 – Assistant Coach, Duquesne
2012-13 to 2014-15 – Assistant Coach, Eastern Kentucky
2015-16 – Assistant Coach, Fordham
2016-17 to 2018-19 – Associate Head Coach, Fordham
Crawford Named Cincinnati Men’s Basketball Director of Player Personnel
Photo Courtesy Cincinnati Athletics
