Gary Tuell enters his 13th season at the helm of the Nova Southeastern University basketball program in 2016-17. Under Tuell’s direction, NSU has established its reputation as a solid NCAA Division II program on regional and national scales.
Tuell's 2015-16 team faced its fair share of challenges as it competed against five opponents ranked in the top-25 in Division II Basketball. Still, the Sharks earned a trip to the Sunshine State Conference Tournament and picked up a key win over No. 12 Barry following Chris Page's NSU-record, 41-point performance. Tuell eventually guided Page to his second consecutive First Team All-SSC honor to go along with his second team all-region recognition.
Tuell led a scrappy squad in 2014-15, earning 12 wins overall while competing in one of the nation's toughest leagues, which featured the NCAA National Champions in Florida Southern. The Sharks worked their way to the SSC Semifinals with an upset win over the Tampa Spartans, 91-84. Overall, the Sharks were led by Chris Page, who earned All-Sunshine State Conference honors for a second straight year as well as All-South Region accolades. Four seniors finished their careers in 2015, all of which left the program in high academic standing.
The men’s basketball team made a step forward in 2013-14, a season that was greater than its overall record. NSU earned marquee victories in 2013-14, including a road win over NCAA Division I FIU, 77-59, and the team's first SSC Tournament victory since 2009 over annual powerhouse Rollins, 75-71 in overtime. The Sharks achieved these landmark wins without a single senior on the roster. At season’s end, leading scorer Chris Page earned All-Sunshine State Conference second team and newcomer team honors.
In the 2012-13 season, the Sharks installed a high-speed offense that helped the Sharks pick up 15 wins, including multiple over top-25 opponents. The biggest win of the year came early, when the Sharks topped No. 7 Southern Indiana, 77-76. Tuell's team was recognized that year with the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award for having a team GPA higher than a 3.0. The Sharks were the only team in the state of Florida across all divisions to earn the honor.
In the 2011-12 season the Sharks finished one game below .500 finishing 13-14 and 7-9 in conference play. Tuell's 2010-11 campaign was an up and down season as the Sharks rattled off a seven-game winning streak at the start of Sunshine State Conference play but ended the season losing the same amount in a row. Tuell's squad played in close games almost every night. The team lost three overtime games and three one-point contests. Tuell led senior Alex Gynes to All-SSC Second-Team honors.
In 2009-10, Tuell had one of his youngest squads during his NSU tenure but still managed to start the season 11-6. Tuell would go on to take a team without any seniors to the SSCTournament, where their season ended in the first round. Although many of Tuell’s newcomers were injured throughout the year, he still had one player, Brian Cahill, named SSC Freshman of the Year.
The Sharks had a 16-11 record in 2008-09 and finished third in the SSC Standings with a 9-7 record. NSU also advanced to the semi-finals of the SSC tournament after defeating Lynn in an overtime “instant classic.”
Injuries once again curtailed a promising season for the Sharks in 2007-08, as the team finished 10-18. With two members of the front court suffering season ending injuries in the pre-season, many inexperienced freshman were thrust into key roles. NSU did manage to defeat SSC Champion and South Regional host Florida Southern while Tim Coenraad earned Second-Team All-SSC and South Region honors.
Under Tuell, the 2006-07 Sharks basketball team posted a 14-15 record, but the injury plagued season contained plenty of highlights and several glimpses of what “could have been” if the injuries never occurred. The Sharks played a non-conference schedule ranked number one in degree of difficulty by the NCAA. Showing that they were up to the challenge, NSU defeated three teams (Henderson State, Valdosta State, and Barry) who all advanced to the NCAA tournament.
Tuell guided the Sharks to a 17-11 record in 2005-06, a ten game improvement from the previous year. NSU rose from last in the conference pre-season standings to second in the final conference standings, with an 11-5 record.
Tuell came to NSU on Apr. 27, 2004 after spending seven years as head coach for the Augusta State University men’s basketball program. During his tenure, Tuell transformed the Jaguars into perennial Peach Belt Conference contenders as Augusta State claimed five PBC North Division Titles, two Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championships and twice qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Coach Tuell’s teams averaged 18 wins per season and won 71 percent (72-30) of Peach Belt Conference games during Tuell’s final six years at ASU. The Jags also reached the 20-win plateau twice and were 114-89, overall, under Tuell’s direction.
The Peach Belt Conference is considered as one of the most challenging basketball conferences in the nation, and in 2004-05 it produced the NCAA Division II men’s basketball national champion - Kennesaw State University.
Tuell has been lauded for his coaching excellence, having been named “Coach of the Year” twice by the PBC (1998-99, 2001-02) and Atlanta Tipoff Club (1998-99), as well as being named Naismith “Coach of the Year” (1998-99).
Tuell went to Augusta State after five seasons at St. Thomas University (Miami, Fla.), where the Bobcats captured three Florida Sun Conference championships, posted one second-place finish and went 88-76 overall. Tuell led St. Thomas to the NAIA Division II National Tournament on two occasions (1993-94, 1996-97).
Prior to St. Thomas, Tuell served as the head coach for one season at Milligan College in Tennessee and for four seasons at Cincinnati Christian. He recorded an 11-19 season at Milligan in 1985-86, while he went 89-29 at Cincinnati Christian, including seasons of 27-7, 27-3, and 25-6.
In Tuell’s career as a head coach, his teams have won six conference championships, four region championships, and six conference tournament championships while compiling a 9-6 record in six national tournament appearances.
A native of Louisville, KY, Tuell received a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Louisville and served as an assistant freshman coach for the Cardinals from 1970-73. He was later a volunteer assistant coach at Louisville from 1982-85 and restricted earnings coach at the University of Miami from 1987-92.
Tuell also authored Above the Rim, a book detailing the history of Louisville basketball. The 352-page book sold over 10,000 copies.
