BROOKS SAVAGE - ETSU HEAD COACH
Brooks Savage was named ETSU men's basketball head coach on March 20, 2023. Savage, the 19th head coach in program history, served as an ETSU assistant coach during its historic run from 2015-2020.
In his first season as the Buccaneer head coach in 2023-24, Savage led the Blue & Gold to 19 wins – the most since the 2019-20 season – as well as a trip to the Southern Conference Tournament championship game. The Bucs won three games in three days with victories over No. 10 VMI, No. 2 UNCG and No. 3 Chattanooga to get to the title game where ETSU fell to No. 1 seed Samford in a tightly contested battle.
Savage earned his first win as a head coach in his Buccaneer debut as ETSU defeated King 73-56 on Nov. 6, 2023, while his first win over a Division I program as the Bucs’ head coach came against Atlantic 10 perennial power Davidson on Nov. 17. Savage coached a pair of All-SoCon selections in Jaden Seymour and Jadyn Parker, while Seymour, Ebby Asamoah and Quimari Peterson earned SoCon All-Tournament Team selections. Parker set a new ETSU single season record with 73 blocked shots, while Asamoah broke the SoCon Tournament record for made threes with 17 in the four games. As a team, ETSU set a new SoCon Tournament record in steals (42) and tied the tournament record with 168 rebounds.
ETSU went 10-4 at home in Savage’s first season, marking the most home wins since that historic 2019-20 season where the Bucs went 16-1 inside Freedom Hall. The Bucs also secured true road non-conference wins at Conference USA member Jacksonville State and American Athletic Conference contender East Carolina where the Bucs dismantled the Pirates by 16, 86-70.
Savage has a plethora of experience in the Southern Conference as he has spent seven of his 12 years as an assistant in the league. Between his five years at ETSU and two years at Chattanooga, Savage’s teams have combined to win 79 percent of their conference games (98-26) and 72 percent overall (170-67). Savage’s teams have finished either first or second in six of those seven seasons, while also appearing in four tournament finals and winning two of those championship games.
Following a run where Savage played a vital role in ETSU going 130-43 (.751), he has spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach under Steve Forbes at Wake Forest. During his time in Winston-Salem, Savage helped bring the Demon Deacons back to prominence in the Atlantic Coast Conference and on a national level.
Wake Forest enjoyed the third-largest turnaround in college basketball history in 2022 – seeing a 19-win improvement – while the Demon Deacons’ 13 ACC wins in 2021-22 were tied for the most in school history and their 18 home wins that year broke a program record. The 13 wins also marked a 10-win increase from 2020-21, featuring the largest year-to-year improvement in ACC history.
During the 2021-22 season, Wake Forest reached the NIT Elite 8, while the 25 wins marked the most since 2004-05. Over the last two years in Winston-Salem, Savage saw Wake Forest compile at least 10 ACC wins, resulting in the first time the Demon Deacons had back-to-back 10-plus conference wins since 1996-97.
In terms of player development, Savage assisted in Alondes Williams earning ACC Player of the Year honors and Jake LaRavia receiving All-ACC Second Team honors. LaRavia was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2022 NBA Draft, while Williams signed with the Brooklyn Nets. This 2022-23 season, Ty Appleby was named Associated Press ACC Player of the Year – joining Williams with that honor – becoming the first time in school history that Wake Forest had back-to-back AP ACC Players of the Year.
During his time in Johnson City, Savage saw the Blue & Gold win over 75 percent of their games, while capturing two Southern Conference regular season titles and two tournament championships. ETSU’s 130 wins were the most victories over a five-year run in program history and the most by a SoCon team since 1953. The Bucs also won 71 conference games over this stretch, resulting in a .789-win percentage.
The Bucs won the 2016-17 regular season title and went on to capture the SoCon crown, earning a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament where ETSU faced Florida in Orlando. A year later, the Bucs won a school-record 16 straight games – which was also the longest streak in the country at that point – and finished with a 25-win campaign and a trip to the SoCon championship game. In 2019-20, ETSU posted a school-record 30 wins en route to sweeping both the SoCon regular season and tournament titles. The Bucs became just the fourth team in SoCon history to reach the 30-win mark and were one of four Division I programs to register 30 wins that year – joining Gonzaga (31), San Diego State (30) and Liberty (30). To go with the 30 wins, ETSU set a program record with an .882-win percentage.
While at ETSU, Savage saw the Bucs reach the SoCon championship game in four of the five seasons, while he helped coach 15 all-SoCon players. The Bucs also defeated three Power-5 programs during his time in Johnson City – Georgia Tech (2015), Mississippi State (2016) and LSU (2019).
Prior to coming to ETSU, Savage spent two seasons as an assistant at Chattanooga from 2013-15. The Mocs won 40 games over those two years, including a 22-win campaign in 2014-15, marking Chattanooga’s first 20-win campaign since 2004-05. Chattanooga won 15 conference games in that 2014-15 season – at the time the second-most league wins in school history. Savage helped coach five all-SoCon players, while the Mocs finished second in the SoCon both years.
Savage entered the Division I ranks as an assistant in the Big South conference when he led Presbyterian College through the Division I transition during the 2012-13 season.
Savage’s first stint as an assistant came in 2011-12 when he joined Steve Forbes at Northwest Florida State College where the Raiders set a school record with 32 wins, while winning the Panhandle Conference title and finished as the NJCAA National Runner-Up. The Raiders were ranked No. 1 during the season and had a 13-win increase from the previous year.
In his 12 years as an assistant, Savage has worked for six conference Coach of the Year winners, while coaching 32 all-conference players. Savage has averaged 22 wins per season in 12 years as an assistant, has totaled 20-plus wins in seven of the last nine years and been to seven career NCAA Tournaments. Savage has also seen his student-athletes succeed in the classroom as he has a 100 percent graduation rate during his time as a coach.
A 2008 graduate of Tennessee, Savage holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sport management/business. As an undergrad, he worked as a student manager and graduate assistant from 2004-10 and was a part of five Volunteer NCAA Tournament teams in his six seasons.
Savage and his wife, Lauren, are the parents of daughters Waverly and Sloane.
KEVIN GILTNER - WOFFORD HEAD COACH
Wofford College has announced that Kevin Giltner has been named the head coach of the men’s basketball program on September 22, 2025. Giltner, a 2012 Wofford graduate and five-time Southern Conference champion as a coach and student-athlete, spent the past six years on the coaching staff at Virginia Tech. “With the season approaching and the need to move quickly with this hire, we could not be prouder and more excited to bring one of our own back home,” said Robert D. Atkins ’65 Director of Athletics Scott Kull. “Kevin will be able to immediately step in and lead our student-athletes as they prepare for the upcoming season. As a former player and assistant coach at Wofford, Kevin loves this place and understands what it means to represent the Wofford name on the front of the jersey. We appreciate the support of Mike Young, who is losing one of his top assistants close to the beginning of the season, as we welcome Kevin and his family back to Spartanburg.” “I am unbelievably grateful for President Nayef Samhat and Director of Athletics Scott Kull giving our family the opportunity to return to Wofford and Spartanburg. This is home for us,” said Giltner. “My time at Wofford gave me some of the best years of my life and I want the same for our current and future men’s basketball student-athletes. The foundation of Wofford men’s basketball was laid a long time ago, and I consider it a real privilege to build on the foundation created by my former teammates, other program alumni, and current players. The Wofford name and logo mean a great deal to me and my family; it is a great honor to lead these men and represent Spartanburg. “My time at Virginia Tech has not only helped me professionally, but the relationships built there will be forever cherished and not forgotten. Thank you to Hokie Nation, the staff, the students, the players, and the administration. Mike Young…where do I even begin? Thank you. I love you and appreciate your unwavering support as this opportunity has presented itself. My wife and I are excited to get to town and get to work! Go Terriers!” For the past six seasons, Giltner has been a trusted assistant to head coach Mike Young. The Hokies have posted winning seasons in four of the six seasons. In his first season in Blacksburg, Giltner was the special assistant to the head coach and played an integral role as Tech broke the ACC and school record for most 3-pointers made in a game (21) and upset then-No. 3 Michigan State. In 2020-21, they posted a 15-7 record and were third in the ACC - the highest finish ever for Virginia Tech in the regular season - and reached the NCAA Tournament. The Hokies earned their first-ever ACC men's basketball championship by winning four games in four days in March 2022. In the 2022 NCAA Tournament, they were defeated by #25 Texas. They also played in the 2023 and 2024 NIT Tournaments. Overall, he has been a part of seven NCAA Tournament teams since 2010. In six years at Wofford, Giltner helped guide the Terriers to their third, fourth and fifth Southern Conference Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. Giltner was also a part of the previous two championships as a student-athlete on the team, helping the program win its first as a sophomore in 2009-10, and its second as a junior in 2010-11. During the 2018-19 season the Terriers posted a 30-5 overall record, including a perfect 18-0 mark in Southern Conference play. They won the Southern Conference Tournament title. In the NCAA Tournament, the Terriers were a seven seed and a win over Seton Hall sent Wofford to the second round, the SoCon’s first NCAA Tournament victory in 11 years. The team was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time ever, ending the season at #19. They were also ranked #18 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll. Fletcher Magee was named Southern Conference Player of the Year, along with honorable mention All-America recognition and Lou Henson National Player of the Year recipient as the top mid-major player in Division I. Magee finished his storied career with the most made 3-pointers in NCAA history. Cameron Jackson joined Magee on the first team All-Southern Conference team by both the media and coaches. In 2017-18, Giltner oversaw guards Fletcher Magee (SoCon Player of the Year by the media & First-Team All-SoCon) and Storm Murphy (All-Freshman Team) as they took home conference honors. Wofford won 20 games for the first time since 2014-15, finishing with a 21-13 record. The Terriers recorded wins over Georgia Tech at home and picked up their first win over an AP Top 25 team with a huge upset win at No. 5 North Carolina, the defending national champions. In 2016-17, Giltner coached three guards to All-Conference accolades. Fletcher Magee and Eric Garcia were both named First-Team All-SoCon as Wofford was the only conference team to place two players on the first team. Nathan Hoover was named to the All-Freshman team. Magee became Wofford’s first sophomore to join the 1,000-point club and scored in double digits in all 33 games on the season. Garcia also surpassed 1,000 career points in 2016-17. Nationally, he was third in assists per game (6.8) and his 226 assists on the year were the most in a season in Wofford history. Garcia left Wofford with 537 career assists, second most in Wofford history. In the 2015-16 season, he helped coach Fletcher Magee to a Southern Conference Freshman of the Year selection. Magee averaged 13.8 points and shot 92.5 percent from the foul line (86-93), ending the season as the NCAA Statistical Champion in free throw percentage. Magee's freshman accolades also included being named Third Team All-Southern Conference, and 2016 Southern Conference All-Tournament Team. In 2014-15, Giltner helped coach the Terriers to a 28-7 overall record and a 16-2 SoCon mark, en-route to the SoCon regular season title. The Terriers also went on to claim their fourth SoCon Tournament title in six years. Wofford earned a #12 seed in the NCAA Tournament. In his first season back at Wofford in 2013-14, Giltner was part of the team's third SoCon Tournament Championship and third NCAA Tournament berth in program history. “I couldn’t be happier for Kevin, Katelyn and their entire family,” said Virginia Tech head coach Mike Young. “Kevin has been a part of some of the greatest moments in Wofford basketball history, first as a player, then as an assistant coach, and I’ve been fortunate to share so many of those with him. Over the past six-plus seasons at Virginia Tech, he’s brought that same passion, creativity and steady hand to our program, making a tremendous impact on our players and staff every single day. He is a tremendous basketball mind, an even better person, and absolutely ready to lead the Terriers. We wish Kevin and his family nothing but the best as they take this next step in his coaching journey together—it’s a perfect fit for Wofford and for him.” Giltner, a four-year letterman at Wofford, spent the 2012-13 season playing professionally for Keflavik in Reykjanesbaer, Iceland. A native of Kingston Springs, Tennessee, Giltner averaged 14.8 points per game during his senior year in 2011-12 as the Terriers advanced to the postseason for the third straight season. Giltner earned All-Southern Conference first team honors from the coaches and second team recognition from the media. During his junior year, he played in all 34 games with one start as the team won the Southern Conference Championship and advanced to play BYU in the NCAA Tournament. As a sophomore, he saw action in 34 games as the team won the Southern Conference championship and faced Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Giltner led the team with a .787 free-throw percentage as a freshman. For his career, he scored 954 points and is ninth in college history in games played with 131. He was sixth in Wofford’s history with 187 career three-pointers. He was named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll all four years and named to the SoCon Winter All-Academic Team three times. Giltner graduated from Wofford in 2012 with a degree in business economics. He and his wife, Katelyn, a native of Spartanburg, have two daughters, Finleigh (3) and Emersyn (1). He is the 20th head coach in Wofford men's basketball history, which dates back to 1906.
The Southern Conference, which celebrated its 100th season of intercollegiate competition in 2020-21, is a national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and in helping to build lifelong leaders and role models.
The Southern Conference has been on the forefront of innovation and originality in developing creative solutions to address issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing the first postseason college basketball tournament (1921), to tackling the issue of freshman eligibility (1922), to developing women’s championships (1984), to becoming the first conference to install the 3-point goal in basketball (1980), the Southern Conference has been a pioneer.
The Southern Conference is the nation’s fifth-oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association. Only the Big Ten (1896), the Missouri Valley (1907), the Pac-12 (1915) and the Southwestern Athletic (1920) conferences are older in terms of origination.
Academic excellence has been a major part of the Southern Conference’s tradition. Hundreds of Southern Conference student-athletes have been recognized on CoSIDA Academic All-America and all-district teams. A total of 20 Rhodes Scholarship winners have been selected from conference institutions.
The conference currently consists of 10 members in six states throughout the Southeast and sponsors 22 varsity sports and championships that produce participants for NCAA Division I Championships. The league added rifle, becoming just the second Division I conference to sponsor the sport, in 2016-17, and added women’s lacrosse for the 2017-18 campaign.
The Southern Conference offices are located in the historic Beaumont Mill in Spartanburg, South Carolina. A textile mill that was in operation from 1880 until 1999, Beaumont Mill was renovated in 2004 and today offers the league first-class meeting areas and offices as well as a spacious library for storage of the conference’s historical documents.