Talladega College - 2008-09 Men's Basketball Coaches

2008-09 Men's Basketball

Record: 25-7 Home: 9-2 Away: 13-2 Neutral: 3-3

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2008-09 Men's Basketball Coaches

Matt Cross - Head Coach

Matt Cross rejoined his former president Dr. Billy C. Hawkins in May 2008 at Talladega College as the Director of Athletics and Head Men's Basketball Coach with one goal in mind; to win a National Championship. Fast forward just 10 months and the two got just want they hoped for. March 7, 2009 will be forever remembered in Talladega College history as TC, in its first year of athletics in nearly a decade, defeated Rochester College (MI) 45-31 on the campus of Penn State-Fayette in Uniontown, PA to win the 2009 USCAA Division I National Championship. "I wanted to go someplace where I thought we could win a national championship, and after talking with (President) Dr. Hawkins and (Vice President) Dean Paddio I knew we could do that at Talladega College," said Cross.

Coach Cross led his 2008-2009 Tornadoes to a storybook season and the small college national championship was the ultimate accomplishment. This marked the first time in college basketball history for a first year program to claim a national title. Along the way to the magical triumph, the Tornadoes achieved another college basketball milestone by defeating five NCAA Division I programs (Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Mississippi Valley State, Southern, and Grambling State) in a single season. Talladega College finished the season with a 25-7 record, the most wins in the school's history. The Tornadoes ended their season on a 12 game winning streak and ranked #1 in the USCAA coaches' poll. Furthermore, Coach Cross produced the school's first ever All-Americans in Jeral Davis and Tarium Taylor. Patrick Rodgers was named the USCAA national tournament MVP. In addition, Cross guided the Tornadoes to finish first nationally in many individual and team statistical categories.

Dr. Hawkins and Coach Cross' goal of winning a national championship seemed lofty, but that goal was part of even greater vision that Dr. Hawkins had when he decided to reinstate athletics to the institution. When Cross arrived on campus in May he wanted to bring the vision to fruition by restoring the Tornadoe tradition to help Dr. Hawkins return the college to preeminence. Coach Cross hit the grounds running as he quickly brought coaches on board, an athletic trainer, a sports information director, and began to put a plan in place for the athletic department. He focused on the overall recruitment of student athletes, upgrading the current athletic facilities, creating a new athletic logo, and developing an official athletic website. By the Fall of 2008, 125 new student athletes were enrolled at TC. Callanan Gymnasium and the baseball complex underwent a complete renovation in order to have the facilities ready for play during their season. Cross saw all athletic programs finish with winning seasons in their first year and hopes the excitement of winning will give both current and former Tornadoes and even greater sense of pride in their college.

Only twenty five, Cross is the youngest athletic director and head men's basketball coach at any four year college in the country. He has won an average of 23 games a year and brought home championships in each of his first two seasons as a head coach. He has produced three small college all-Americans, one conference player of the year, and one national tournament MVP. Made history in both of his head coaching stints and knocked off seven NCAA Division I programs in the process. Coach Cross's career record is 46-20 (.696%), has a 5-1(.833%) postseason mark, and is 7-4(.636%) against NCAA Division I programs. All the success Coach Cross has experienced on the court doesn't mean as much to him as what transpires off the court. Five former players and his athletic trainer, Demond Walker followed him to Talladega College. Three of his former players, Jeral Davis, Romondo Banks, and Patrick Rodgers played for Coach Cross this season, the other two Randy Pulley and Ricky Smith became his assistant coaches. "To have that many people show loyalty, the thought is I must be doing something right," says Cross. Matt Cross is a winner and understands that players make great coaches. "A winning program begins with a vision and culminates with hard work, dedication, determination, and perseverance," he says. "I probably enjoy recruiting as much as the game itself. I spend the majority of my time recruiting. I believe that in order to beat the top teams on the court you must first beat them in recruiting."

Before coming to Talladega College, Coach Cross immediately lit fire into a struggling program at Texas College in his first full season as the Steers head coach in 2007-2008. The Steers instantly became winners as Cross led his Steers to a school record 21 wins in 2008, a NAIA Division I national best 15- game win improvement from the previous season, and the first winning season in three years. Furthermore, Coach Cross guided Texas College to two historical wins over Grambling State University, which marked the first time the school had ever defeated an NCAA Division I opponent. The victories over Grambling gave Texas College instant national recognition and helped the Steers climb to as high as #17 nationally, the highest national ranking ever obtained by Texas College. In addition, Cross steered his team to a to a 12-4 mark in league play which earned Texas College a share of the Red River Athletic Conference Regular Season Crown for yet another first in the school's history. Texas College advanced to the RRAC conference tournament championship game where they fell short to Langston University. Cross also saw four of his Steers named to the 2008 RRAC All Conference Team, and produced the Steers first ever Conference Player of the Year and first ever All-American in Czyz Bennett.

Cross took over the reins as interim head coach at Texas College in mid-December 2006 at the age of 23, and despite the teams 1-11 start and a depleted roster, Coach Cross was able to lead the Steers into The Red River Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament highlighted by an elusive upset win over the regular season conference champion, and top ten nationally, Houston Baptist University.

Matt Cross is no stranger to helping turn around a basketball program and making history in the process. Prior to Texas College, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach on the NCAA Division II level at the University of Arkansas-Monticello. In three years at UAM, Cross was part of several first time achievements by the Boll Weevils including obtaining a national ranking, defeating three NCAA Division I programs (Savannah State, Wisconsin Green Bay, and Arkansas St.), and making the NCAA tournament where they reached the "SWEET 16."

Cross began his coaching career as the Assistant Varsity Boys Basketball Coach and Head Junior High Boys Basketball Coach at Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge, LA, where he helped Coach Todd Foster earn the Crusaders to a birth into the 2003 LHSAA Class AA State Playoffs where they advanced to the regional round.

A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education with a minor in History from the University of Arkansas at Monticello in 2005.