Assistant coach Tyson Waterman begins his fifth season on the Wichita State bench.
Prior to WSU, he a successful prep school coach in South Carolina and before that a hall of fame point guard at WInthrop University. That background has proven invaluable for WSU where Waterman works closely with the point guards and plays a key role in recruiting.
Waterman’s list of Shockers signees includes 2021 AAC co-Player of the Year Tyson Etienne, 2022 AAC Defensive Player of the Year Dexter Dennis, and 2022 AAC Sixth Man of the Year Ricky Council IV.
In July, 2021, Head Coach Isaac Brown gave Waterman the title of Recruiting Coordinator, stating:
“The only thing Tyson loves more than basketball is people. He has an innate ability to connect and build relationships with persons of all ages and backgrounds. His work ethic is unmatched and he has a real eye for talent. Combine these traits and it’s easy to see why he’s become of the nation’s best recruiters. Tyson has been nothing short of a game-changer for us and has earned this expanded role within our program.”
In Waterman’s first four seasons (two under Gregg Marshall and the two most recent under Brown), the Shockers have posted a .644 winning percentage. The 2021 squad won the American Athletic Conference regular season title, and the 2019 team advanced to the semifinals of the NIT.
Before making the leap to WSU and Division I basketball, Waterman built a prep school powerhouse from the ground up. He founded and served as head coach at Believe Academy in Rock Hill, S.C. over two separate stints from 2010-18.
During the 2014-15 season Waterman was an assistant coach at Southeastern Louisiana.
In his final season at Believe (2017-18), a total of 25 players signed with colleges. Ten of them landed at the NCAA Division I level, including Dennis at Wichita State.
Other notable Believe alumni are Jason Preston (a two-time All-MAC selection at Ohio), Rob Gray (2x first team All-AAC) and Jared Wilson-Frame (Pittsburgh).
Prior to Believe Prep, Waterman spent the 2009-10 campaign as head coach of the American Basketball Association (ABA) Charlotte Crossovers.
Waterman played point guard for four seasons at Winthrop – the last two for Marshall – and the pair helped the program to back-to-back Big South titles in 1999 and 2000 and the school’s first-ever NCAA Tournament bids.
Waterman graduated from Winthrop in 2000 with a double major in criminal justice and sociology. He was twice named first team All-Big South Conference and finished his career ranked fourth on the school’s career scoring chart (1,461 points) and third in assists (469). In 2007 he was inducted into the Winthrop Sports Hall of Fame, and his No. 41 jersey has been retired.
A native of Hemingway, S.C., Waterman attended high school at Sanford School in Hockessin, Delaware -- a rigorous college preparatory program with a strong basketball reputation. His experience there ultimately inspired him to found Believe Academy.
