Aug. 23, 2000
Bowling Green, Ky. - Bert Tucker has been selected to fill an assistant coach position on the men's basketball staff at Western Kentucky University.
The 29-year-old Tucker, a native of Salem, N.H., originally came to the Hill as a graduate manager on the Hilltopper staff after spending two seasons as head basketball coach at Newbury College, where he guided the Knights to a 47-16 (74.6%) record. He also served as golf coach and academic coordinator for athletes at the Massachusetts junior college.
"In the year Bert has been with us, he has made an outstanding impact," WKU Head Coach Dennis Felton said. "He is a committed coach and leader who is dedicated to the success of our players and our program. Western Kentucky is very fortunate to have a young man of his abilities and sincerity representing our institution."
Tucker's `97-98 basketball Knights were 19-8 and, as an encore the next season, he led his club to a 28-8 mark, district and regional championships, a berth in the NJCAA Final Four and third place in the final NJCAA poll. That club featured a pair of juco All-Americans (one on the floor and one in the classroom). For his efforts, Tucker was named the NJCAA District V Coach-of-the-Year.
"I am extremely excited to be involved with the Hilltopper family in this new role," Tucker said. "I look forward to the challenges and responsibilities of this position."
Tucker also spent two seasons (1995-97) as an assistant at St. Joseph's College in Maine. His first Monk team took conference championship honors and his second club there was league runner-up.
A 1994 cum laude graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington, Tucker also coached in the prep ranks at Dirigo High School (head basketball, `95), Mountain Valley High (assistant basketball, `93-95) and Jay High (assistant football, `93-95), all in Maine.
Tucker fills the vacancy on the Hilltopper staff created when former assistant Kevin Baggett resigned to join the basketball staff at Howard University.
