Gillispie named coach at Tarelton State for transition to DI

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) — Billy Gillispie was named head coach at Tarleton State, getting above a program earning the changeover from NCAA Division II to Division I.

The go Monday arrived two many years right after Gillispie had a successful kidney transplant, and eight many years right after his final Division I job.

The former Texas A&M, Kentucky and Texas Tech coach had been at a Texas junior school the past five many years. The sixty-12 months-aged West Texas indigenous received a 4-12 months agreement from Tarleton State that goes as a result of the 2023-24 season.

“I’ve always believed I have been the luckiest guy alive and today proceeds to illustrate that believed,” Gillispie said. “I promise to make the most of this chance and honor everybody included. I am on the lookout ahead to helping make terrific items transpire as we go to the NCAA Division I level.”

Tarleton State starts the changeover to Division I on July one. The Texans will commence frequent-season competitors in the Western Athletic Meeting following season, but would not be eligible for Division I postseason perform right up until the 2024-twenty five season.

A climbing star in the coaching profession right after quick rebuilding work at UTEP and Texas A&M, Gillispie was hired by Kentucky in 2007. He was fired right after two seasons when the Wildcats missed the NCAA Match for the very first time in seventeen many years. He was then out of coaching for two many years, for the duration of which he put in time in a compound-abuse program right after a drunken driving arrest.

In his only season at Texas Tech, the Red Raiders gained only one Huge 12 recreation in 2011-12.

Ranger Faculty was 31-7 for the duration of Gillispie’s debut in 2015-sixteen, reaching the national junior school match before forfeiting all its wins for the reason that of an ineligible participant. He announced his retirement midway as a result of his second at Ranger, stating he was getting the suggestions of doctors right after battling high blood tension. He returned as coach before the 2017-eighteen season, and the staff achieved the national junior school championship recreation in 2019.

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