Jake Deer has been named as the new UT Tyler men’s basketball coach, head coach Jamon Copeland announced on Monday. Deer comes to UT Tyler from Francis Marion University, where he served in the same position during the 2013-14 season.

While the assistant at Francis Marion, Deer had numerous responsibilities, including design and implementation of player development, in-game coaching, game-day promotion and helping to promote and run the team’s basketball camps.

During the 2013-14 season, the Patriots averaged 76 points per game, shot 36-percent from beyond the three-point arc, and posted an 8-3 home record.

Previous to his time in South Carolina, Deer served as the head coach at Johnson University from 2007 to 2013, garnering NCCAA Div. II South Region Coach of the Year honors in 2013.

Deer led the Suns to the 2013 NCCAA Final Four, helped set a new school record for wins in-a-season with 26 in 2012, obtained the team’s highest national ranking (#2) in 2012, graduated 90-percent of his players who completed four years of eligibility, and won the South Region Regular Season Championship in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Deer also served as Johnson University’s Executive Director of Admissions from 2008 to 2011, helping Johnson’s enrollment increase by 65-percent in three years.

As a player, Deer was a four-year letterman for the Florida Christian College basketball squad and a three-year team captain. He was named to the NCCAA All-South Region second team in 2002 and was a first-team FCC All-Florida selection in both 2001 and 2002.

Deer obtained his Bachelor of Science in Christain Leadership from Florida Christian College in 2004, and will complete is Masters in College Athletic Administration from Coker College in 2015.

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