Former Motlow College player and assistant coach Dominic Tharpe has been named the new head coach of the Lady Bucks’ basketball team, according to Tori Raby-Gentry, athletic director at the College.

He was selected from a large group of outstanding candidates to help revitalize the Lady Bucks’ program, and brings vast experience to the position, including one year as an assistant at Motlow under former coach Bobby Steinburg during the 2006-07 season. Tharpe played two seasons at Motlow from 1998-2000 under former coach Lonnie Thompson.

"It is a privilege and a humbling experience to be able to return to Motlow College as the head coach of the Lady Bucks," said Tharpe. "Motlow has always felt like a second home to me from the time I played here and when I was an assistant. The faculty and staff have treated me well and have always welcomed me with open arms."

Tharpe spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach for the Dyersburg State Lady Eagles under Head Coach Rian Puckett. He was also an assistant under Puckett at Mid-Continent University during the 2007-08 season. The following year Tharpe spent his lone season as a head coach for the Mid-Continent women’s squad.

Other assistant coaching stops for Tharpe have included his high school alma mater Henry County in Paris, Tenn., Bethel University in McKenzie, Tenn., and Indiana University East in Richmond, Ind.

"We are thrilled to announce Dominic as our new women’s basketball coach," said Raby-Gentry. "He has a lot of experience coaching on the college level, plus he played and coached here at Motlow. He knows what it takes to build a successful program and we are confident that he will accomplish that in the coming years."

After completing his playing career at Motlow, Tharpe continued as a student-athlete at Park University in Missouri before an injury ended his basketball career. He returned to West Tennessee and earned his bachelor’s degree from Bethel. He later earned his master’s degree from the University of Memphis.

"It has been a long, hard road for me to get to this point and I’m very thankful for the opportunity to be here at Motlow," added Tharpe. "I have learned a lot from my previous head coaches and I feel that they have prepared me with the tools that I need to be successful as a head coach here."

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