March 18, 2009

DeSalme named new men’s basketball coach at Cowley

Regarded by many as one of the top young coaches in the community college ranks, Tommy DeSalme was named the new head coach of the Cowley College men’s basketball team on Tuesday. DeSalme takes over for former coach Steve Eck, who announced his resignation on Monday to become the head coach at Hutchinson Community College.

DeSalme is a proven winner as he has had successful head coaching stints at Kansas Wesleyan University, Sterling College, and Independence Community College. In the past two seasons at Independence, DeSalme compiled a record of 45-19 overall and 29-7 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. He also went 2-and-2 against the Tigers during his time with the Pirates.

“I am excited about having coach Tommy,” Cowley athletic director Tom Saia said. “He is an outstanding coach and recruiter and will bring a lot to Cowley County and our athletic department. We lost a great coach in Steve Eck. Tommy has coached against coach Eck and went 2-and-2 against him the last couple of years, so that tells you a little bit of what kind of coach Tommy is.”

During DeSalme's first season coaching the Pirates, he led them to a 26-6 overall record, a No. 16 national ranking, a second place conference finish, and a 21-game winning streak. The 21-game winning streak is the longest in Independence history. 

This past season, DeSalme guided Independence to a 13-5 record in the Jayhawk East and a 19-13 record overall. His team played its best basketball towards the end of the season as they won 9 of their last 11 games prior to the Region VI Tournament.

DeSalme's current overall coaching record stands at 158-90. He enjoyed his time at Independence, but felt the opportunity to coach at Cowley was too good to pass up.

“Coach (Tom) Saia and Dr. Pat (McAtee) have been really good to me and the things Cowley has to offer was greater than what Independence has to offer,” DeSalme said. “It’s a great opportunity for me and my staff. We are all really excited.”

Joining DeSalme at Cowley are assistant coaches Donnie Jackson and Josh Berry, who both coached with DeSalme at Independence and were former players for DeSalme.

Prior to Independence, he spent one season as head coach at Kansas Wesleyan University, where he led the Coyotes to a 28-4 record, a KCAC conference and postseason title, a No. 6 national ranking, a 19-game winning streak, and a trip to the second round of the NAIA National Tournament. 

The 28 victories broke a school record for most victories in a season.  The Coyotes also enjoyed a 17-1 league mark, an all-time best in a 10-team KCAC conference race. Under DeSalme the Coyotes led the nation in defensive points per game average and were third in the nation in steals. DeSalme was also named KCAC Coach of the Year.

“My coaching style is always going to be about team play,” DeSalme said. “We have also always been real successful on the defensive end. I like for my teams to play fast and actively on the defensive end.”

Prior to Kansas Wesleyan, DeSalme spent five seasons at Sterling College, where he turned around a program that consistently finished near the bottom of the KCAC standings to a contender for the KCAC title in each of his five seasons. DeSalme left Sterling with an 84-67 overall record, and a 60-30 record in KCAC regular season play. Sterling finished second in the KCAC four consecutive seasons, and earned a berth to the NAIA Division II National Tournament two times over a three year span (2004 and 2006).  In 2004, DeSalme also led the Warriors to a KCAC Conference Tournament Championship that allowed Sterling to advance to the schools first ever national tournament appearance.  Under DeSalme's leadership, Sterling twice tied the school record for most victories in a season with 18 in 2002 and 2005.
“He wants to be a Tiger and has a great future ahead of him,” Saia said. “His goal is to take his team to the national tournament and he has a chance to do that at Cowley.”

DeSalme was also the director of the Warrior Athletic Association at Sterling. Under DeSalme’s direction, the WAA started an athletic booster club with over 120 members in four different levels of membership. He was also responsible for raising over $5,000 to start Sterling College On-line Radio for broadcasts of games as well as coaches shows and other campus events.

Prior to Sterling, DeSalme was an assistant coach at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. At SOSU, DeSalme was responsible for recruiting as well as eligibility and academic progress. While at SOSU, the Savage Storm captured two Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference titles in 1996 and 1997.  The team also made two trips to the NAIA Division I National Championships, finishing with a No. 5 ranking in the NAIA Division I final poll in 1997 with an overall record of 27-4.

DeSalme earned his Master of Education from Southeastern Oklahoma State in 1999, after earning his Bachelor degree in Education from SOSU in 1995.

DeSalme played collegiate ball at SOSU, where he was a four-year letter winner and a two-year starter.
A native of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, DeSalme garnered all-state, all-region and all-district honors as a senior at Bartlesville High.  As a three-year letter winner, he helped guide Bartlesville to a pair of state titles in 1989 and 1991.

He will spend this week speaking with the in-state athletes he has recruited to play next season. Once the Cowley players return to campus next week following spring break, DeSalme will then visit with each one of those players.

“Once Monday rolls around the focus will be on the guys that are here already,” DeSalme said. “It’s a hard deal for them (going through a coaching transition), but once the shock wears off it will all be ok.”

DeSalme wants his players to not only excel on the court but also in the classroom. He also hopes to help Cowley make it to the national tournament for the first time in more than 50 years.

“Being a student-athlete is very important to me, it ought to be a privilege to play for Cowley County,” DeSalme said. “My drive every day is making it to the national tournament. You can be the best team and not get in; it’s all about playing well in March.”