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Rome native Chad Warner returns for his third season as head coach of the Shorter College men's basketball program. With 34 wins in his first two seasons at the helm, Warner's Hawks have posted the best consecutive season win total in 42 years, when Shorter went 24-6 and 22-9 in 1965-1966 and 1966-1967, respectively. Shorter advanced to the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals in Warner's first season and last year, posted a 10-8 record in league play, good enough for a No. 4 seed and the best SSAC finish in program history. Warner came to Shorter in 2008 from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, one of NCAA Division III's most successful basketball programs, where he served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. At Hampden-Sydney, Warner was involved in all aspects of the program, including recruiting, strength and conditioning, scouting and player development. Warner helped guide the 2006-2007 Tigers to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship, the school's tenth conference title and seventh in the previous 11 years, with a 77-62 win over rival Roanoke College. That year, Hampden-Sydney advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III National Basketball Tournament. His previous coaching experience includes two years as an assistant coach at The College of William & Mary under accomplished head coach Tony Shaver and a previous stint at Hampden-Sydney in 2003-2004, when the team ascended to the national No. 1 ranking and captured yet another Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship. Warner spent the 2002-2003 season as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, the University of Georgia, under legendary head coach Jim Harrick. He spent the previous four years as associate head basketball coach at the Darlington School in Rome. Warner graduated from the University of Georgia in 1998 with a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations. At UGA, Warner played basketball for head coach Hugh Durham. In high school, Warner was a two-year team captain, All-Area and All-State performer on the hardwood at Darlington while also running track, where he finished second in the state in the 800-meters during his senior year. Warner and his wife, Karin, have two children, Aly (3) and Caroline (2). The Warners are expecting a third child, Jack, in February. What Others Are Saying About Coach Warner: "Chad is one of the brightest and most enthusiastic young coaches I've ever been around; I truly believe Shorter is lucky to have him. They have a bright future with Chad as head coach." - Jim Harrick, former head basketball coach at Pepperdine University, UCLA (where he won the 1995 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship), the University of Rhode Island and the University of Georgia. "Chad is one of the better people I've come into contact with. He will be a great coach, but more important, a terrific leader of young people. He lives the game of basketball, he is a relentless recruiter, and I know Shorter is in good hands with him." - Tony Shaver, head men's basketball coach at The College of William & Mary. "Having coached Chad and followed his growth as a person and a coach, I will tell you this: Chad is going to win and win big. He has worked for some of the best in the business. Give him time to implement his system and to recruit to that system and great things will happen for the program. I am excited for him and for Shorter." - Russell Turner, assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Golden State Warriors. |
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