University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
Thomas Nash begins his seventh year as a member of the UNC Asheville basketball staff and fourth year as the Bulldogs Associate Head Coach. Nash has been a big part of UNC Asheville’s success, and Coach Eddie Biedenbach is happy to have him as a part of the program.
"Thomas Nash has done an outstanding job for us since he joined our staff," stated Biedenbach. "He is a coach that knows the game very well and works well with our players."
Nash’s responiblities include all aspects of recruiting, on-floor coaching including pre/post season work-outs, scouting opponents, assisting in strategic game planning, assisting players in academic endeavors, and the general marketing of the team.
Nash came to UNC Asheville after a successful five-year run as the head coach at Carolina Day School in Asheville. He guided the school to North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association state championships in 2000 and 2001. In the 2000-01 season, his Carolina Day team was ranked as the top basketball team in Western North Carolina by the Asheville Citizen-Times at the end of the season. Nash was named as WNC Coach of the Year by the Citizen-Times for the 1999-2000 season. He led the school to the state’s Final Four in 1999 and had them in the final 16 in 1997 and 1998. In addition, he was the founder and organizer of the Carolina Hightop Invitational Basketball Tournament that was played on UNC Asheville’s campus in December of 2000. The 16-team, three-day event attracted record crowds and brought some of best teams in the state of North Carolina to Asheville.
The Asheville native and graduate of Carolina Day School was a three-sports participant including being a four-year letterman on the basketball team. Nash then went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts at Vanderbilt University in 1995. As a senior at Vanderbilt, Nash worked with the basketball program and current Charlotte Bobcat Director of Scouting and Asheville native Buzz Peterson. Nash continued his education through distance learning at the United States Sports Academy earning his Masters in Sports Management in the spring of 2003.
"I have felt passionate about being a basketball coach since my sophomore year at Vanderbilt," said Nash. "I cherished my time at Carolina Day School and winning two State Championships was a real blessing. Having the opportunity to further my career at the collegiate level has always been a goal of mine, and I am very grateful for the chance that UNC Asheville and Coach Biedenbach have given me."
Nash was the Chairman and originator of the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Champions Invitational Golf Tournament.
He is married to former UNC Asheville women’s basketball player Marcia Napier. They’ve been married for 10 years and reside in Asheville with their son, Edward, born in November of 2003.
