Head Men’s Basketball Coach DJ Damazo has recently accepted a position as the Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, Iowa. Grinnell is a member of the NCAA Division III and the Midwest Conference (MWC). TJ Hardeman has been named as the Interim Head Men’s Basketball Coach.
When DJ Damazo stepped foot onto this campus, Director of Athletics Gretchen LeVan and every other individual he met knew that Damazo was just the right fit for the next men’s basketball head coach. So, “welcome home, Coach Damazo”, was a phrase that all were saying in late 2017 as Valley Forge welcomed Damazo and his wife, Kristland in October. Prior to Valley Forge, Damazo was a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball program at Eastern University (St. David’s, Pa).
Tasked with the responsibility of a complete program rebuild, Damazo led Valley Forge to a 12-11 record (.522) in the 2019-2020 season, securing a spot in postseason conference play. Valley Forge ended their season tabbing the five spot in scoring for NCAA Division III.
Damazo is no stranger to coaching. In fact, his career began as the Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at his alma mater, Blackhawk High School in Beaver Falls, Pa.
Damazo graduate from Geneva College (Beaver Falls, Pa) with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services in 2013. While at Geneva, Damazo was a two-year started for the men’s basketball program. In 2016, Damazo earned a Master of Art in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University.
The University of Valley Forge and Phoenixville will always welcome the Damazo family, as it is the very place that DJ and Kristland welcomed their two beloved sons, Malachi and Simeon, and where he found his new discovered love for the local hit, Twin Valley Coffee.
The Department of Athletics would like to express appreciation to DJ for his dedication to the basketball program, athletics department, and the university as a whole. We wish him and his family the absolute best in their next season of life. Once a Patriots, always a Patriot.
Prior to Interim, Hardeman was the Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Patriots. Hardeman will continue to lead the strength and conditioning program.
Hardeman coached Boys and Girls Basketball and Boys soccer at Faith Academy Inc. in Manila, Philippines (August 2018 – January 2019, October 2019 – March 2020).
Prior to Faith, Hardeman served as a coach and trainer at Coaches Team International, East Star, in Bejing, China (2016, 2019). In July 2019, Hardeman coached the U16 Boys Team for Ulriken Eagles Basketball Club and played for Fyllingsdalen in Bergen, Norway.
“I thank TJ for his willingness to step up during this transition time. I have full confidence he will keep the momentum that Coach Damazo had with this program moving forward”. – Gretchen LeVan
TJ played NAIA Division 1 basketball at Westmont College (Santa Barbara, CA), and Vanguard University of Southern California (Mesa, CA). In 2019, Hardeman earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science from Vanguard University. Hardeman is a NCSA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).
Damazo resigns as Head Coach at D3 Valley Forge; Hardeman named Interim Head Coach
