Jim Tribbett will enter his eighth season as the head of men's basketball for the Hawks. Last season, the team finished 18-10 overall while finishing 2nd in the NCCAA South Region. Tribbett has won two NCCAA South Regional Championships over his tenure at Chowan. In the 2005-06 season, the team finished 19-11 overall, won the NCCAA South Regional Championship, and finished 3rd in the NCCAA Nationals. Two seasons later, Tribbett returned to the top of the South Region winning another championship while placing 4th in the nation.
Coach Tribbett is a two-time NCCAA South Regional and National Coach of the Year ('06 and '08). Tribbett has coached some of the most decorated players to ever play for the Chowan Blue & White. The players include, but not limited to, Trayvon Lathon, Montino Williams, and recently Aaron Scott.
Tribbett has an extensive and diverse basketball background that includes stints on the high school, college, and professional levels. After growing up playing basketball in the most well documented basketball state in the country, the native of Crawfordsville, Indiana played Junior College basketball in Florida where he was a stand out player. He went on to continue his career at Florida State where he earned his four-year degree.
Tribbett’s coaching career started in his home state at Wabash College. Although he left Wabash in 1982, he helped to recruit players that helped Wabash win the 1982 Division III National Championship. After leaving Wabash, Tribbett spent two years as an assistant coach at Tiffin University (OH). In his two seasons with the Dragons he helped guide the team in back-to-back twenty-win seasons. In 1983 Tribbett made his way from Ohio to the East Coast where he was hired as an assistant coach for UNC-Wilmington. He spent three seasons with UNCW before accepting his first head coaching job at Greensboro College. From 1986-1990 he compiled a 51-55 overall record and a 22-28 Dixie Conference record. In his first stint at Chowan, Tribbett was hired by former Head Coach Bob Burke’ as an assistant in the early 1990’s. From 1990-1992 he helped to guide the Braves to a 47-16 record and a top 20 NJCAA National Ranking. In the 1991-1992 season the Braves advanced to the NCJAA Final Four in Hutchinson, Kansas.
After two seasons with Chowan he left North Carolina for Tennessee where he stayed until 2001. In Tennessee he stayed in basketball, coaching at East Robertson High School in Nashville and working for a professional scouting service.
He joined the professional basketball ranks in 2001 as the Director of Player Personnel for the Brevard Blue Ducks, a member of the USBL. During his one-year tenure with the Blue Ducks, Tribbett was named the USBL’s “Executive of the Year” for his commitment to the program, the league, and his players.
Along with his stateside experience, Tribbett also has international coaching stints on his resume. He has taken college all-star teams to compete in Barbados, Amsterdam, and France.
Since Tribbett's arrival in 2002, he has made marked improvements in the four-year program. After winning 8 games in his first season, his commitment to recruiting and player retention has helped him turn in back-to-back winning seasons in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
Tribbett has a four-year degree from Florida State University and a MS from Depauw University in Indiana. He has over 30 years of basketball experience under his belt and is poised to return back to the top of the South Region. He and his wife, Sally Francis Tribbett, have one son, Johnny who is 13 years old. They reside in Murfreesboro and are both natives of Indiana.
The Tribbett File
1978-1981 Wabash College (IN), Assistant Coach
1981-1983 Tiffin University (OH), Assistant Coach
1983-1986 UNC-Wilmington, Assistant Coach
1986-1990 Greensboro College, Head Coach
1990-1992 Chowan College, Assistant Coach
1992-1993 Berta Scouting Service
1993-1996 East Robertson High School (TN), Head Coach
1994 Nashville Kats, Arena Football, Corporate Sponsorships
1997-2001 Private Business, Corporate Sponsorships
2001-2002 Brevard Blue Ducks, Director of Player Personnel
2002-Cur. Head Coach Chowan University
Head Collegiate Coaching Record
Year School Record (Overall & USA South)
1986-1987 Greensboro College 13-14 (6-8)
1987-1988 Greensboro College 10-16 (7-7)
1988-1989 Greensboro College 13-14 (6-6)
1989-1990 Greensboro College 15-11 (3-7)
2002-2003 Chowan College 8-18 (5-9)
2003-2004 Chowan College 11-15 (5-9)
2004-2005 Chowan College 14-12
2005-2006 Chowan University 19-11
2006-2007 Chowan University 11-15
2007-2008 Chowan University 13-17 2008-2009 Chowan University 18-10
Career Totals: 145-153 (32-46)
2007-2008 Season Honors
• NCCAA South Region Coach of the Year
• NCCAA South Region Champions
• NCCAA National Coach of the Year
• NCCAA 4th Place National Finish
Career Honors
• USBL “Executive of the Year”, 2001-02 (Brevard Blue Ducks)