After 10 months and one full season as Interim Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Gabriel Rutledge has been announced as the official Head Coach of the Warriors by Director of Athletics Brad Niethammer. The interim tag will be removed from Coach Rutledge’s position effectively immediately.
“I’m very appreciative of our President Keith Wade and Director of Athletics Brad Niethammer for believing in me and allowing me to lead this wonderful program,” said Rutledge. “I also want to thank our players for trusting my staff and myself through a difficult season. We dealt with a lot of adversity throughout the season, but we never quit fighting and working as hard as we could. You could see with our team, on the floor and the way the guys carried themselves, things we’re building in a great direction. It might take a little time, but we do believe we have the people in place to get things turned around and build a winning culture. To all the Warrior fans, we are going to give you guys 100 percent every day. We’re going to put a great brand of basketball and a great style of play on the court that you guys will enjoy. Go Warriors.”
After being announced as the Warriors’ Interim Head Coach back on May 15 of 2020, Coach Rutledge helped guide seniors Rasheem Etienne and Jaylon Myles to Second-Team All-Conference honors this past season. Although Webber finished the season 9-21 overall and 5-15 in The Sun Conference, 10 of its losses in conference play came by 10 points or less.
“Coach Rutledge has done all we asked him to do during the interim period,” said Niethammer. “I believe in him as our coach and mentor to our student-athletes He has the Webber pride I am looking for in our coaches. I’m looking forward to watching him continue to build this program and keep it moving in a positive direction.”
Prior to becoming the head coach, Rutledge spent the previous four seasons as the Warriors’ assistant men’s basketball coach, a time in which he mentored two all-conference players. Before that, Coach Rutledge taught at Gainesville High School (Gainesville, Fla.) and was the school’s Head JV Coach (June 2014 – June 2016), going 43-3 in his first two seasons, including an undefeated season at 23-0 during his second year. Rutledge was named NCFBCA Junior Varsity Coach of the Year in 2015 and in 2016, and he was also an assistant coach for the varsity team at Gainesville High and helped lead the Hurricanes to a state championship appearance and runner-up finish in 2015.
As a high school standout at Gainesville High, Rutledge was the team captain his junior and senior years for the Hurricanes, and during his final season he led his team to victory in the 2009 FHSAA Class 6A State Championship.
Following his high school career, Rutledge first came to Webber as a player in 2009 before finishing his career by averaging 9.8 rebounds, 7.6 points and 1.5 blocks per game. Rutledge was named to the All-Sun Conference Second-Team as a senior in 2012-13 and by the time he graduated, he was Webber’s all-time leading rebounder with 901 boards to end his collegiate career.
Academically, Rutledge earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (majored in marketing) from Webber International University in May 2013 and completed his Master of Arts Degree in Sports Administration and Coaching from Bob Jones University in August 2020.
Please join us in congratulating Coach Gabriel Rutledge on being officially named as the Warriors’ Head Men’s Basketball Coach.
Rutledge officially named Head Basketball Coach at Webber International
