The UCF men’s basketball team has added Tyson Waterman to its staff as an assistant coach and the team’s recruiting coordinator, head coach Johnny Dawkins announced on Wednesday. Waterman spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach at Wichita State.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Tyson Waterman to our staff.” Commented Dawkins. “He is a talented basketball mind who makes great connections with student-athletes, which also makes him an outstanding recruiter. He will be a key addition to the UCF family ahead of our first year in the Big 12 Conference.”
Waterman was promoted to the Shockers’ recruiting coordinator in 2021, following his efforts as an assistant coach the previous seasons. In his time at Wichita State, he helped recruit the 2019 American Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year in Tyson Etienne along with three others that earned American postseason honors. As an assistant coach, Waterman helped the Shockers win The American’s 2020-21 regular season with a 16-6 record in league play, a run that ended with an NCAA Tournament bid. The year prior, Wichita State made a run to the NIT semifinals.
Waterman primarily works with point guards and wings in skill training and player development
“I would like to thank Johnny Dawkins and his entire staff for welcoming me to join the UCF family. I’m very humbled and excited for this amazing opportunity” said Waterman.
Before making the leap to Wichita State and Division I basketball, Waterman built a prep school powerhouse from the group up. He founded and served as head coach at Believe Academy in Rock Hill, South Carolina over two separate stints from 2010-18.
During the 2014-15 campaign, Waterman coached at Southeastern Louisiana University for a season as an assistant on head coach Jay Ladner’s staff.
Waterman was a standout student-athlete during his playing days at Winthrop, where he played from 1995-2000. He became the program’s fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,461 points and became third in assists with 459. He was a two-time All-Big South Conference First Team honoree in the final two seasons of his career, after garnering Big South Conference Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman. He was a Second Team Big South Conference honoree in his sophomore year.
A year after finishing his collegiate playing career and earning degrees in criminal justice and sociology, Waterman saw his No. 41 jersey ascend into the rafters as he became the first Eagle to have his number retired in the program’s Division I history. He was inducted into the Winthrop Athletics Hall of Fame in January 2007.
A native of Hemingway, South Carolina, Waterman attended high school at Sanford School in Hockessin, Delaware – a rigorous college preparatory program with a strong basketball reputation. His experience there ultimately inspired him to found Believe Academy.
