Jan. 16, 2010

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Winston-Salem State University head men's basketball coach Bobby Collins has accepted a contract extension to remain the coach of the Rams for the next three seasons. Collins' contract extension will guarantee that he will coach the Rams through the 2012-13 season.

"Coach Collins has done an excellent job leading the men's basketball program. He has shown he is the right person to lead our program to, and through, the challenges. He is an outstanding coach and a class act and I am happy that he has accepted the offer to continue to be our head men's basketball coach for the next three seasons" Winston-Salem State University Director of Athletics, William "Bill" Hayes said.

Collins, who is in the midst of his fourth season as the head coach of the Winston-Salem State men's basketball team, and who has been a college coach in excess of 15 years, has more than eight years of collegiate head coaching experience.

He has led the Rams' basketball program since the 2006-07 season and has helped to return the Rams to the national spotlight as WSSU has faced nationally-ranked opponents five times during his tenure at WSSU while also playing a competitive conference schedule.

In addition to success on the court the Rams, under Collins' tutelage, have excelled in the classroom and in the community. A coach who is committed to the academic success of his student-athletes, Collins has been instrumental in seeing nine men's basketball student-athletes named to the MEAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team in honor of their academic performance over the last three seasons.

Collins has led the Rams to a 29-73 record while at WSSU and has posted a 93-130 record in eight seasons as a head coach. A man who has won at every level, both as a coach and as a student-athlete, Collins is the architect of a four-year process that has rebuilt the Rams' program and has laid the foundations of future success.

"I am extremely excited about the decision that has been made. Mr. Hayes offered me three more years to coach the Rams' and work with these young men and I am grateful to be able to continue to be a part of this program, part of what we are building here" WSSU head coach Bobby Collins said.

"I am truly excited and my team is excited and now we can focus and concentrate on the games that we have at hand" Collins added.

Collins has accepted WSSU's offer to remain the head coach of the men's basketball program through the 2012-13 season and official signature on his contract is forthcoming.

For additional information on WSSU men's basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at WSSURams.com.

About Bobby Collins:
Bobby Collins became the seventh head men's basketball coach at Winston-Salem State University on Sept. 5, 2006. Since that time he has led the Rams to a 29-73 record en route to posting a 94-130 record as a head coach.

A coach committed to both the athletic and academic well-being of the student-athlete, Collins has implemented a strong emphasis on preparation and focus not only on the court but in the classroom.

The architect of an effort to return the WSSU men's basketball program to greatness, Collins has faced five ranked opponents during his tenure at WSSU and has laid the foundations for the successes which are yet to come for the Rams.

Under his tutelage, Collins has seen nine men's basketball student-athletes named to the MEAC Commissioners All-Academic Team and has seen a pair of men's basketball players move on to professional basketball careers.

Collins came to WSSU following a tenure at Hampton University where he spent four seasons as head men's basketball coach and was part of the Pirates' men's basketball program for 12 years.

During his time at Hampton, Collins was part of three MEAC Championships (one as head coach) and MEAC two runner-up finishes. His 2002-03 season (19-11) capped the winningest first-year head coaching performance in Hampton history. Among his coaching accomplishments are being a part of a coaching staff at HU that saw the Pirates defeat No.2 seed Iowa State in the 2001 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

Prior to his head coaching duties at HU, Collins was a member of a coaching staff that helped the Pirates complete their own transition from NCAA Division II to Division I. Among his duties he was responsible for recruiting, handling admissions 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. 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.