THREE BLINN COACHES AND A PLAYER HONORED
The Texas Association of Basketball Coaches recently handed out four prestigious awards to members of the Blinn College men’s and women’s basketball programs.
Blinn head women’s basketball coach Jeff Jenkins and assistant coach Antreanna Brooks and assistant men’s basketball coach Adam Schwartz were honored with coaching accolades while sophomore women’s basketball player Tiffany Tullis was also recognized for her achievements in 2022-23.
Following a season in which the Buccaneers women’s basketball team made a permanent home near the top of the NJCAA Division I Top 25 poll while also winning a share of the Region XIV regular-season title and reaching the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship tournament, Jenkins was named the TABC Women’s Junior College Coach of the Year. In her second season with the Bucs, Brooks was named the TABC Women’s Junior College Assistant Coach of the Year.
“The TABC is a fantastic organization and to be recognized is always an honor,” Jenkins said. “For coach Brooks, she has been a huge reason for our success these past two seasons. What she does for our program and our players is incredible. She recruits them, she helps with study halls, she opens the gym late for them. She’s been so great for us, and I’m really excited for her.”
The Buccaneers achieved a 31-4 record in 2022-23, including a 15-1 mark in Region XIV play. Blinn qualified for the national tournament for a second consecutive season and reached the quarterfinal round.
Tullis, a first-team NJCAA Division I All-American, was named the TABC Junior College Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. The second-year forward averaged team highs in points (14.4) and rebounds (12.6) per game while also totaling 28 double-doubles to go with two games of 20 or more rebounds, including 20 during the Buccaneers' second-round victory in the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship tournament. Tullis also finished her Blinn career as the women’s program’s single-season and career rebounding leader, with 441 this season and 767 across 2021-2023. Tullis will join the Texas State University women’s basketball program this fall.
“To be named the best player in the state at her level is amazing,” added Jenkins. “She is deserving of every award and honor she has received, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.”
Schwartz, a fourth-year assistant under head coach Scott Schumacher, helped the Buccaneers to a 23-8 record this season, including a third-place finish in the Region XIV South Zone with a 16-3 showing.
“Adam has done a tremendous job for our men’s basketball program,” Schumacher said. “He truly cares about our student athletes and their success on and off the floor, and works tirelessly to help our players achieve their goals.”
Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information