The University of West Alabama Men’s Basketball program announced changes to their coaching staff on Tuesday as head coach Nick Woodruff announced the hirings of Justin Allison, Charles Tripp, and Zach Clemons.
Allison makes his return to West Alabama as Woodruff’s head assistant. Before getting into coaching, Allison was a standout on the court for UWA, playing four years with the Tigers from 2019-2023. The Point Guard played in 105 games and started in 70, averaging 10.4 points and 3.7 assists over the course of his career. Allison was a key piece to West Alabama’s GSC Title winning teams in 2022 and 2023 as the guard averaged 13.5 points in the 2023 campaign and was named the Most Outstanding Player after the Tigers raised their second consecutive GSC Championship.
After his playing career, Allison got his first assistant coaching job with Huntingdon College in 2023-24 where he helped the Hawks increase their win total from two to 12 in one season. Allison now returns to UWA where he looks to continue his legacy, this time on the sidelines.
As for Tripp, he also makes his return to West Alabama as a graduate assistant on Woodruff’s staff. Similar to Allison, Tripp previously played for the Tigers, competing from 2017-2019. In his playing career with UWA, Tripp helped the Tigers make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament after his performance in the GSC Championships where he was named to the All-Tournament team. After graduating from West Alabama, Tripp played professionally in Portugal, averaging 18 points and eight rebounds in three seasons.
Clemons joins Tripp as a Graduate Assistant after serving as the team manager the past two seasons. With Clemons as the manager, the Tigers won a GSC Championship, made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and accumulated a 46-17 overall record. Before managing with UWA, Clemons also had stints at Tupelo High School and Itawamba Community College where he saw a multitude of success.
Alongside Woodruff, Allison, Tripp, and Clemons are preparing for the 2024-25 season which is set to begin on November 9.
West Alabama Basketball Staff Update
