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Coaches
 
Mark Downey
Head Men's Basketball Coach

Contact Info.
Phone: 479-968-0365
E-Mail: mdowney@atu.edu

Education:
High School:
St. Francis High School (Morgantown, W. Va.), 1990
College:
Charleston University (Charleston, W. Va.), Bachelor of Science, 1995
Marshall University (Huntington, W. Va.), Master of Science - Athletic Administration,  1998.

Playing Experience:
Downey lettered for four years at Charleston University (Charleston, W. Va.) from 1990-95. As a player, he was an All-WVIAC all-conference performer and served as the team's captain from 1993-95.  In addition, helped lead Charleston to a WVIAC Tournament Championship in 1992-93 and holds the league's record for three-point field goals in a season (111).  In high school, Downey was the state of West Virginia's leading scorer (37.6 points per game) as a senior in 1989-90 and was a two-time captain and a First-Team All-State selection and was runner-up for the West Virginia Player of the Year as a senior in 2000.

Coaching Experience:

Downey comes to Tech after spending the previous five seasons (2001-06) as an assistant coach on Monte Towe's staff at the University of New Orleans.  As a assistant at UNO, he served as the recruiting coordinator, handled scheduling, scouting of opponents, travel coordinator, assisted in game and practice preparation and also was the director of the Monte Towe Basketball Camp.  Prior to working at New Orleans, Downey served as the head men's basketball coach at Independence Community College in Independence, Kan. from 1999-2001. While at ICC, Downey led the Pirates to a 47-23 record and was named the Region VI and Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year. In addition, he led ICC to the Jayhawk Eastern Conference title and a Region VI championship in 2000 and led the school to the Region VI title game in 2001. Before assuming the head coaching role at Independence, Downey spent one season (1998-99) as an assistant at the school under head coach Chris Jans. In addition, he spent two seasons (1996-98) as an administrative assistant coach under head coach Greg White at Marshall University and began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Barton College in Wilson, N.C. in 1995-96.    

Personal:

Downey is 34 years old. He is a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and also a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and made his motion picture debut this past year as one of Adolph Rupp's 'Runts' (Tommy 'Crash' Kron) in the movie 'Glory Road', about the 1965 NCAA Basketball Championship game between Texas Western University and the University of Kentucky.

At Tech:
Coach Downey will be entering his second season at the helm of the Wonder Boys in 2007-08.  In his first season at Tech, the Wonder Boys finished with a 6-19 overall record.   


Kurt Young
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach

Contact Info.
Phone: 479-968-3263
E-Mail: kyoung@atu.edu

Education:
High School:
East Carter High School (Grayson, Ken.), 1990
College:

Morehead State University (Morehead, Ken.), Bachelor of Science in social science, 1995.

Playing Experience:

Young played one season at Centre College in Danville, Kent., before transferring to Morehead State University, where he did not play basketball. As a high school player at East Carter High School in Grayson, Kent., Young lettered for four seasons in basketball as a forward and was a three-time All-District and an Honorable Mention All-State selection.

Coaching Experience:  
Young comes to Tech after serving last season (2005-06) as an assistant coach and an assistant athletic director at Hawai'i Pacific University in Honolulu. Before going to Hawai'i Pacific, Young spent two seasons (2003-05) as an assistant coach at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kent., and spent three seasons (2000-03) as the head basketball coach at Labette County Community College in Parsons, Kan. Young began his coaching career as a student assistant at Morehead State from 1992-94 and then became an assistant men's basketball coach and a physical education instructor at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, Fla., before spending the 1997-98 season as an assistant coach at Northwestern State, an NCAA Division I school in Natchitoches, La. Following his stint at Northwestern State, Young spent two seasons (1998-00) as the head basketball coach at Thomas University in Thomasville, Ga., before moving to Labette County Community College. While at Thomas, Young compiled a 42-22 overall record and was named the NAIA Division I Southeast Region Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year honors in 1998-99.

Personal:
Young is 35 years old and was born on June 25, 1972, in Grayson, Kent. He is married to the former Lauren Hansberry of Indianapolis, Ind.

At Tech:
Young is entering his second season as an assistant coach with the Wonder Boys in 2007-08.

 


Wes Corkins
Graduate Assistant - Men's Basketball

Contact Info.
Phone: 479-968-3263
E-Mail: wcorkins@atu.edu

Education:
High School:
Buhler High School (Buhler, Kan.), 2000
College:

Fort Hays State University (Hays, Kan.), Bachelor of Liberal Arts, 2004

Playing Experience:

Young played one season at Centre College in Danville, Kent., before transferring to Morehead State University, where he did not play basketball. As a high school player at East Carter High School in Grayson, Kent., Young lettered for four seasons in basketball as a forward and was a three-time All-District and an Honorable Mention All-State selection.

Coaching Experience:  
Corkins will enter his fourth season (3rd consecutive) as part of the Wonder Boys coaching staff during the 2008-09 campaign. Corkins was also a member of the Tech coaching staff during the 2004-05 season. Prior to coming to Tech in the 2006-07 season, Corkins spent a season at Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas. In addition to the year spent at Tech in 2004-05, Corkins spent two years working with the University of New Orleans. While at UNO, Corkins helped a Privateer squad make an appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Championship in 2004. Corkins began his coaching career at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kan.

Personal:
Corkins is 26 years old and was born on August, 8, 1981 in Hutchinson, Kan.

At Tech:
Corkins is entering his fourth season as an assistant coach.

 
 

 

 

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