-Rogers State Head Men’s Basketball Coach Justin Barkley named Vinay Patel the new assistant men’s basketball coach on Monday.
“I am very excited about bringing Vinay on board,” Barkley said. “He brings invaluable experience to the program as he is a well-respected recruiter and his NCAA Division II resume is a perfect fit as we continue our transition to become a full-NCAA Division II member.”
Patel fills the open position after serving as the Interim Head Coach at West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas since December 2013.
Patel spent the previous nine seasons with the Buffs serving the last two years as the associate head coach before taking on the head coaching role following the retirement of 21-year veteran Rick Cooper in December.
During his time at West Texas A&M, the program recorded tremendous success reaching the NCAA Division II National Tournament five times. The Buffs advanced to the tournament in 2011, ranked as high as No. 23 in the nation, and again in 2012 posting records of 23-7 and 19-9, respectively. The team also claimed a Lone Star Conference championship and two LSC South Zone titles. The Buffs produced a top-10 nationally ranked defense during the 2011, 2012, and 2014 seasons. In 2010-2011, the team was ranked ninth in the country defensively holding teams to 61.7 points per game. The following season, the Buffs ranked third in the country defensively, holding teams to 58.3 points per game and in 2012-13 they ranked fourth defensively, holding teams to 58.2 points per game.
Patel began his coaching career at West Texas A&M as a graduate assistant in 2005 before moving to the position of assistant coach of both the men’s and women’s teams for the next three seasons.
He had served as the recruiting coordinator for the Buffs since 2010 bringing aboard two eventual All-America Team selections and 14 eventual first, second, or honorable mention all-conference team selections. Those honorees also included one conference newcomer of the year, one freshman of the year, and two all-region performers.
A native of Shamrock, Texas, Patel graduated from Texas Tech in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science before earning a Master of Science degree in Sports and Exercise Science from West Texas A&M in 2007. Patel also is a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
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