Cleveland Selected to Participate in Collegiate Coaching Consortium
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Collegiate Coaching Consortium – a collaboration between AthleticDirectorU, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the Center For Sports Leadership at VCU – is proud to announce that Arkansas assistant coach TJ Cleveland has been selected to participate along with 30 other assistant coaches.
Now in its second year, the 2019 Collegiate Coaching Consortium will be held in conjunction with the NABC Convention and NCAA Men’s Final Four in Minneapolis.
The invitation-only Collegiate Coaching Consortium builds upon the Villa 7 Consortium, which Cleveland has been featured five times, to bring together a cohort of rising basketball coaches and Division I athletic directors to partake in a rigorous multi-day academy that teaches each how to identify, analyze and influence critical organizational processes as a means of building better teams and athletic programs. Each cohort – coaches and ADs – participates in individually-focused curriculum designed to sharpen the competencies and capabilities that are critical for ensuring success within their respective roles.
The 2019 Consortium will be led by a diverse group of speakers and faculty, which includes leaders in collegiate athletics, professional sports, the business world and higher education. Among them are: university presidents Eric Kaler (Minnesota), Nayef Samhat (Wofford) and Ron Machtley (Bryant); head coaches John Calipari (Kentucky), Mike Brey (Notre Dame) and Andy Enfield (USC); athletic directors Bubba Cunningham (North Carolina), Jeremy Foley (Florida) and Ed McLaughlin (VCU); professional sports executives Lara Jurus (Minnesota Vikings) and Michael Lombardi (Cleveland Browns/New England Patriots); search firm executives Daniel Parker (Parker Executive), Glenn Sugyiama (DHR International) and Chad Chatlos (Venture Partners); and business leaders Jacqueline Williams-Roll (General Mills) and Mark French (The Players Tribune).
Seven of the coaches who participated in the inaugural Consortium in 2018 went on to become Division I head coaches last offseason, including Justin Hutson at Fresno State, Tavaras Hardy at Loyola Maryland and Mike Morrell at UNC Asheville. Hutson, Hardy and Morrell will return to the 2019 Consortium as faculty.
Cleveland is in his eighth season as assistant coach with the Razorbacks and he is in his 17th year coaching in college basketball. Previously, Cleveland has been a part of the 2009 Nike’s Top Up & Coming Assistants Vila 7 Consortium and has been featured at Villa 7 five times.
At Arkansas, Cleveland has helped the Razorbacks produce a national top 25 recruiting class in each of the last two seasons and reach the postseason four times, including three NCAA Tournament appearances. Working specifically with the Razorback guards, Cleveland has mentored freshman Isaiah Joe, who is on pace to set the Arkansas single-season record for 3-pointers made in a season as well as rank among the NCAA all-time top 10 for 3-pointers made in a season by a freshman. Last season, Arkansas guards Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon earned first team All-SEC honors while Arkansas led the SEC in 3-point shooting and ranked second in assist-to-turnover ratio and fewest turnovers per game. In his first season at Arkansas, the Razorbacks went from 101st nationally to 19th in turnover margin. Part of his recruiting successes has included Bobby Portis, who was named SEC Player of the Year and selected in the first round of the NBA draft, and Daniel Gafford, a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award.
Prior to his stint at Arkansas, Cleveland was on staff at Missouri. The Tigers reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three of his time there, including an Elite 8 finish in 2008-09. He coached Stefhon Hannah, who was the 2007 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, and J.T. Tiller, 2009 Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. The Tigers ranked second in the NCAA three straight years in turnover margin as well as ranking second in steals in 2011, while leading the NCAA in steals in 2019 and assists in 2009.
Cleveland began his coaching career at UAB. The Blazers reached the postseason all four of his seasons, including three NCAA Tournament appearances. Starting his career as video coordinator, Cleveland was promoted to assistant coach for the 2005-06 season. In his first year as assistant coach, UAB ranked third in the NCAA in steals.
Cleveland graduated from Arkansas in 2002, where he was four-year letterman and two-year captain for the Razorbacks. He helped Arkansas to the 2000 SEC Tournament Championship and Arkansas made three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Cleveland ranks fifth on the Arkansas all-time steals list (226) and led the team in assists twice.
2019 Collegiate Coaching Consortium Participants
Kevin App – Williams College
Patrick Beilein- Le Moyne
Alvin Brooks – Baylor
Kyle Cieplicki – Vermont
TJ Cleveland – Arkansas
Tarvish Felton – Fresno State
Donny Guerinoni – Harvard
Jason Hart – Southern California
Carlin Hartman – Oklahoma
Chris Hollender – Missouri
Adam Jacobsen – Hawaii
Terry Johnson – Ohio State
Joel Justus – Kentucky
Dwayne Killings – Marquette
Joe Krabbenhoft – Wisconsin
Wes Long – Middle Tennessee
Jai Lucas – Texas
Brett MacConnell – Princeton
Matt McKillop – Davidson
Brock Morris – Daytona State
Bryan Mullins – Loyola (Chicago)
Kyle Neptune – Villanova
Greg Paulus – George Washington
Michael Peck – Texas San Antonio
Daniyal Robinson – Iowa State
Mike Rohn – Colorado
Kellen Sampson – Houston
Darren Savino – Cincinnati
Michael Schwartz – Tennessee
Duane Simpkins – George Mason
Saddi Washington – Michigan
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