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Bobby Collins
Head Coach
Eastern Kentucky University ('91)
Third Season (17-42 At WSSU)
Seventh Season (82-99 Overall)
Personal:
The 2008-09 season will mark Collins' third year as the head coach of the Winston-Salem State University men's basketball team as he returns to the bench following a challenging pair of seasons in the Rams' transition to NCAA Division I status. Collins is coming off of a 2007-08 season that saw the Rams post a 12-18 record against many of the nation's best basketball programs. Heading into the 2008-09 season Collins has posted an overall head coaching record of 82-99 (17-42 at WSSU).
Collins led WSUU to five wins in his first season on the bench for the Rams as he opened his inaugural season as head coach at WSSU with a new coaching staff, new offensive and defensive philosophies, and a brand new NCAA Division I classification.
Under the tutelage of Collins the Rams faced one of the most difficult schedules in the country as WSSU played only six home games as they recorded 23 road games against 14 different NCAA conferences en route to logging over 25,000 miles of travel in 2006-07.
Quality coaching and perseverance made history in 2006-07 as the Rams earned their first Division I win over a Division I program on January 18, 2006 when WSSU handed MEAC member Norfolk State University an 81-71 whipping in their own building in Norfolk, Virginia.
WSSU continued to write history as they faced 25 teams for the first time in program history as the Rams took to the court versus storied programs at Georgetown, Kansas, Notre Dame, Auburn, Wake Forest, and UAB. Collins led the Rams against four ranked opponents, three NCAA tournament participants (including Elite Eight honoree Kansas and Final Four participant Georgetown), as well as three NIT participants.
Year two on the bench for Collins saw a marked improvement for the Rams as WSSU posted 12 wins including seven victories over Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents.
Among the seven conference victories included a sweep of Howard, a victory over MEAC-leading Norfolk State and a victory over arch-rival North Carolina A&T in front of a sold-out crowd of over 6,000 fans at the LJVM Coliseum Annex.
Despite playing a full MEAC schedule, the Rams were once again road warriors as WSSU traveled to Ames, Iowa to participate in the Iowa State Cyclone Classic in a tournament that saw WSSU earn a victory over Atlantic Sun Conference runner-up Lipscomb as well as completing trips to Pittsburgh, Pa. to face national power Duquesne University; Manhattan, Ks. to face AP Player of the Year and second overall NBA Draft choice Michael Beasley and nationally-ranked Kansas State University; Tampa, Fla. to face Big East Conference member USF; as well as a late season trip to both Daytona Beach, Fla. (Bethune-Cookman) and Tallahassee, Fla. (Florida A&M).
Despite the difficult non-conference road schedule, the Rams were able to more than double their win total in 2007-08 as WSSU earned 12 total wins and dropped seven more contests by a combined 34 points.
Under the tutelage and leadership of Collins the Rams continue to make strides not only in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, but on a national level as the young Rams will not only complete a full MEAC schedule in 2008-09 but will start the season in the Bahamas as WSSU travels to Nassau to compete in a pair of exhibition contests before opening the regular-season at Georgia Tech, at Eastern Kentucky and at Wake Forest.
Collins came to WSSU by way of Hampton University where he served as head men's basketball coach for four seasons and was part of the Pirate's basketball program for 11 years.
In 2005-06 Collins led the Pirates to a 16-16 overall record and a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship, as well as earning HU a berth in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. During that championship run Collins was honored as the Most Outstanding Coach of the MEAC Tournament.
Collins' third year (2004-05) at the helm of the Pirate's men's basketball program saw Hampton make their second trip in three years to the MEAC Tournament championship game earning Collins MEAC Coach of the Year honors.
His sophomore season with the Pirates, he led the Pirates to a 13-17 record and an 11-7 mark in the highly-competitive MEAC. Under the tutelage of Collins, Hampton saw two players earn All-Conference honors.
During his first season leading the Hampton University men's basketball program Collins guided the Pirates to within six points of their third consecutive MEAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. With a mark of 19-11 in his inaugural season, Collins became the winningest first-year head coach in the history of Hampton University basketball, surpassing Hall-of-Famer John McLendon's mark of 17 victories that came during the 1952-53 campaign.
Since making the move to Division I in 1995, the same year in which Collins became a part of the program, the Hampton University basketball program became the standard by which excellence is measured in the MEAC. The Pirates have won three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and made three trips to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.
During the 2001 NCAA Tournament Hampton made history by becoming just the fourth 15th seed to defeat a No. 2 seed, overthrowing the Cyclones of Iowa State University 58-57. And although a host of individuals have played a significant part in the uprising of Hampton basketball, Bobby Collins is as responsible as anyone. Consequently, Collins was named the 14th head coach of the Pirates on April 26, 2002.
Collins, who joined the Pirate family 13 years ago, has previously served as the Assistant Head Coach for the Pirates' men's basketball team. Prior to his promotion to head coach, he was responsible for recruiting, handling admission and financial matters, preseason conditioning, academics and community relations.
Collins earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and management in 1991 from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), where he finished as a four-year letterman on the Colonels basketball team. While wearing the Colonel uniform, Collins was a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) All-Freshmen Team and Honorable Mention All-OVC as a senior. Following his collegiate career, Collins played in the Helsinki, Finland Classic earning MVP honors.
Collins' coaching career began as a restricted earnings coach with the Old Dominion Monarchs (1994-95). Under the leadership of former Monarch Head Coach, Jeff Capel, Collins aided the Monarchs to a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championship and a first round victory over Villanova University in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. Prior to his stint at ODU, Collins served as an admissions counselor at Eastern Kentucky University from 1992-94
The son of two non-denominational ministers, Collins is the youngest of 10 siblings. He is a native of Southern Pines, North Carolina, where he graduated from Pinecrest High School and helped his squad to an 18-5 and 20-4 overall record during his junior and senior seasons. In 1984, he earned All-State honors and was conference Player of the Year.
Collins, who was named Winston-Salem State University's sixth head men's basketball coach on September 5, 2006, helped the Rams make history in his first season on the bench as WSSU participated in their first year of Division I play.
He continues to lead a historic program that has captured 10 conference titles, and the 1967 National Championship. A relentless recruiter, Collins and his staff continue to bring talent to the campus of Winston-Salem State University and will welcome the addition of seven newcomers in 2008-09 as he prepares to help the Rams add a new chapter to the storied tradition of basketball at WSSU.
