Athletic Coaches Named For New Albany State University

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Contact:

L.A. Carroll, Director of Marketing/Communications/Public Relations
Albany State University
229-430-4671
lanedra.carroll@asurams.edu

Jenny Collins, Communications Manager
Darton State College
229-317-6709 or 229-344-1896
jennifer.collins.2@darton.edu

ATHLETIC COACHES NAMED FOR NEW ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY

ALBANY, Ga. – Albany State University President Art Dunning has announced coaching staff and athletic programs for the new Albany State University.

The coaches and programs named today are:

Kenneth Taylor, track and field/cross country
Robert Skinner, volleyball and women’s basketball
Lenny Gray, interim women’s tennis
Michael Moore, men’s basketball
Amber Nicole Miles, softball
Scot Hemmings, baseball
Ken Veilands, women’s soccer

“We are pleased that we have come to another milestone in the consolidation process with the naming of athletic programs and coaches for the new Albany State University,” said Dunning. “Our coaches and staff can now focus on recruiting the best student athletes and planning for our championship teams.”

As announced last week, Dan Land has been named head football coach for the new Albany State University. In December 2015, it was announced that women’s soccer and men’s golf from Darton State College would be a part of the new Albany State University Athletic Department. Gary Hilton was named head coach for the men’s golf team.

For more information regarding consolidation, please visit https://www.asurams.edu/presidents-office/consolidation/.

Here is more information about the appointed coaches:

Kenneth Taylor, track and field/cross country

Kenneth Taylor took over the women’s track and field in 2006, and has since led the Lady Rams to eight of the last 11 SIAC championships. This year he also received the SIAC Coach of the Year award in 2016.

Robert Skinner, volleyball and women’s basketball

In his 21^st season as head coach of the Albany State University Lady Rams, Robert Skinner has built one of the most successful college women’s basketball and volleyball teams in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and the South Region. His 1995-1996 women’s basketball squad won the SIAC Championship and made team and SIAC history by defeating Rollins College, 63-62. In 1995 the Lady Rams won the SIAC championship in 1998, and returned to the NCAA playoffs. Skinner has also led the Lady Rams volleyball team to 10 SIAC Championships in 1998 and 2001-2009.

Lenny Gray, interim women’s tennis

Lenny Gray was named the women’s tennis coach at Albany State University in January. As an active member of U.S. Professional Tennis Association and the Professional Tennis Registry, Gray is perhaps best known for his reputation as a tennis pro and as a developer of the fast track system of teaching tennis. He has taught more than 1000 tennis players to play the game and has worked extensively with both men and women on the pro tour. Gray has also served as the head men’s and women’s tennis coach at Tuskegee University. In 2009, he won the SIAC Women’s Tennis regular season championship and the SIAC tournament title. Gray was named the SIAC Tournament Women’s Coach of the Year in 2009.

Michael Moore, men’s basketball

Michael D. Moore, an Albany State University alumnus, was appointed as the interim head men’s basketball coach in November 2014. He also has served as the head men’s basketball coach at Fort Valley State University from 1993-2004. During his tenure at FVSU, he led the Wildcats to the 1998 SIAC tournament championship, a first-round appearance in the NCAA Division II national tournament, and garnered runner-up finishes during the 2000 and 2001 SIAC tournaments.

Amber Nicole Miles, softball

Amber Miles brings years of high-level coaching experience, a masters-degree level of education and an exceptional background as a NCAA D-1 student-athlete. Prior to becoming head coach of the Darton State College Lady Cavaliers, Miles was assistant softball coach of Louisiana Tech for five years before taking a position at The University of Texas at Dallas in 2012. As a student-athlete, Miles was a four-year varsity starter for the Lady Techsters and set a record for most hits in a single season, was regarded as one of the top outfielders in the Western Atlantic Conference, earned all-league honors twice and ended her playing career as one of the top three base-stealers in the program’s history.

Scot Hemmings, baseball

Scot Hemmings has served as Darton State College head baseball coach for five years, winning more than 170 games in this first four years and leading the Cavaliers to its first regular season title and Conference tournament title in school history during the 2015 season. In Hemmings’ first season, the Cavaliers set a new school record in wins with an overall record of 38-20 before setting another school record for wins with 47-9 mark in 2013.

Ken Veilands, women’s soccer

Ken Veilands has served as Darton State College head women’s soccer coach since the programs inception in 2000. Under his leadership the women’s team has compiled a record of 264-44-15, finishing as Region Champs in 2005, 2007-2008, and 2011-2015 as well as Region runner-ups in 2000-2001, 2003-2004, 2006, and 2009-2010. The 2008 Cavaliers won both Region and District titles. For his efforts, Veilands has been named Region XVII Coach of the Year eight times and NSCAA South Region Coach for the Year four times.

The announcement of Albany State University and Darton State College consolidation was made in November 2015. Faculty, staff and students from each institution continue to collaborate to build a better university together. Consolidation is expected to be complete January 2017.

###