Cal State Bakersfield head coach Rod Barnes is pleased to welcome JD Pollock to his staff as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Roadrunners.
Pollock, a former student-athlete at Kennesaw State comes to Bakersfield after three years at Central Arizona Community College where he served both as an assistant coach from 2011-2013 and as head coach last season. During his time at Central Arizona the Vaqueros posted a 64-31 record, including an appearance in the Elite Eight of the NJCAA Tournament in 2013.
“JD is an outstanding young coach who has a bright future in coaching and he brings the versatility I was looking for as director of basketball operations,” Barnes said. “He has been in operations at TCU, assistant and head coach at Central Arizona; he has done a lot in a short time.”
Pollock, an Atlanta, Ga., native started his playing career at NAIA Berry College in Rome, Ga., before transferring to Division I Kennesaw State for his junior and senior seasons where he was among the leaders in the Atlantic Sun Conference in steals an assist-to-turnover ratio while also being named Defensive Player of the Year.
“"I would like to thank the CSU Bakersfield administration, Interim Director of Athletics Ziggy Siegfried and especially Coach Barnes for providing me with this great opportunity,” Pollock said. “Coaching jobs are incredibly difficult to come by at any level, so I feel blessed to be given this opportunity at the Division I level under Coach Barnes, who is a great teacher of the game, and in life off the court. He is a man who lives by example, and truly practices what he preaches."
Shortly after graduating with his Bachelor’s degree, Pollock started his coaching career at TCU where he spent two years as a graduate assistant under head coach Jim Christian while earning his Master’s Degree in Liberal Arts.
Pollock replaces former director of basketball operations Ronald Waller who left the position to pursue a career in student-athlete advising.
"The trust and faith Coach Barnes has shown by inviting me into his program really means a lot,” Pollock said. “I can’t wait to learn from him and contribute to us winning championships in any way possible."
Barnes says Pollock also has an interest in developing student-athletes off the court.
“Everyone that I spoke with about him said he is in the business for the right reason; to help young men grow to become great citizens,” Barnes said. “That lines up with our mission here at CSUB.”
Pollock joins Jeff Conarroe and Mark Hsu on the 2014-15 Roadrunners coaching staff.
Bakersfield opens the season on November 23 against Delaware at the Icardo Center. Fans will have the chance to meet the team at the Annual Blue-Gold Scrimmage presented by Hall Ambulance on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Icardo Center. The event is free to the public.
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