Call to the Hall: HoopsHD interviews Hall of Fame coach Tubby Smith

Posted on August 17, 2026 by Jon Teitel

They are running out of Halls of Fame in which to induct Tubby Smith: he joined the Kentucky Hall of Fame in 2013, the High Point Hall of Fame in 2016, the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 2021, the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2023, and last month the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame announced that he would be part of its Class of 2026. If you look at his resume it is easy to see why he belongs: 642 wins, 18 NCAA tourney appearances, an NCAA title in 1998, and even a gold medal as an assistant for Team USA at the 2000 Olympics. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Tubby about winning a title and being elected to yet another Hall of Fame.

You were born in Maryland as the 6th of 17 children: what was the best part of having such a huge family? When you have so many siblings you have a lot of support/mentors: there are so many people that care about you and love you. With 12 sisters/4 brothers I had a lot of people in my corner who helped me grow by teaching me to read/write. I cherish every second I spend with my siblings.

You played basketball at High Point: how good a player were you back in the day, and how did you get into coaching? I was an all-conference player and finished about 5th/6th in the career scoring column, but now am just outside the top-10. Gene Littles was the best scorer to ever play here, which was before my time. I had 3 coaches during my 4 years: it was just part of the changing landscape back in the 1970s. I had some great teammates who were wonderful mentors and gave me a lot of guidance. My high school coach inspired me to get into teaching/coaching. I was at an all-Black school, and George Washington Carver High School coach Cecil Short asked me if I wanted to try out for basketball. I later played for Coach Gene Wood at Great Mills High School.

As an assistant to Rick Pitino at Kentucky you worked alongside Ralph Willard/Herb Sendek/Billy Donovan/Bernadette Locke-Mattox: what was it like to have so much coaching talent on the same sideline? At the time we were working so hard because that was what Rick expected, which set the stage for me to become a head coach. It is a 24/7/365 job: you can take time off, but you are trying to help young men reach their dreams. That staff was outstanding and I learned so much from all of them.

In the magical 1998 NCAA tourney during your 1st year as head coach at Kentucky, your “Comeback Cats” overcame double-digit deficits in each of their final 3 games against Duke/Stanford/Utah: what did it mean to you to win a title? I do not know if I can explain it. It goes back to having outstanding players/assistants like George Felton/Shawn Finney/Mike Sutton. When Rick left to join the Celtics there were still several great players on our roster like Scott Padgett/Jeff Sheppard. We were dubbed the “Comeback Cats” because we had to come from behind about 15 times that season.

It is very rare for a coach to win a title without a 1st-team All-American or future NBA lottery pick: is that just proof that you do not need the best talent to have the best team, or is there more to it than that? There is always more to it. We had outstanding people/leaders both on and off the court. Jeff’s son Reed now plays for the Houston Rockets. They understood teamwork/sacrifice commitment: those players still have a great bond even today. Not many people get the opportunity to win a title, much less be on a college team, so it is a blessing. I cannot say they were “overachievers”: they understood the value of hard work and had been together for a while.

You served as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2000 Olympics: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a gold medal? That goes back to CM Newton. I started with USA Basketball in 1994 when I won a gold medal as coach of the Junior Olympic team, which allowed me to serve my country. We were representing the Southeast and started 0-3, but ended up winning the championship on a last-second shot. CM was on the selection committee: I became an assistant coach along with Larry Brown/Gene Keady under Rudy Tomjanovich. You cannot win without talented players and we had several like Kevin Garnett/Gary Payton/Alonzo Mourning. That famous dunk by Vince Carter remains 1 of the best that I ever witnessed: www.youtube.com/shorts/5-H_kVvxwhQ

You worked at 7 different schools (Tulsa/Georgia/Kentucky/Minnesota/Texas Tech/Memphis/High Point) during your 31 years as a head coach: would you have preferred to stay at 1 place the entire time, and how were you able to keep winning wherever you went? Absolutely: when I went to Tulsa, it was 1 of the best places that I ever lived. However, I kept getting great opportunities to go elsewhere and CM gave me some good guidance. Vince Dooley at Georgia was an oustanding AD: people know him for football but he was also a freshman basketball player at Auburn. The only place I did not really win was at my alma mater: the transfer portal/NIL came into existence during the end of my career and changed a lot of things.

Your son GG played for you at Georgia, your son Saul played for you at Kentucky, and your son Brian played basketball at Mississippi: who is the best athlete in the family? They were all very talented players. GG started during his final 3 years and went to the NCAA tourney a couple of times. Saul was 1 of the top assist guys while at Kentucky and won a national championship as a freshman. The 1 regret I have is that I did not get to coach Brian at Kentucky, but he still had a good career at Ole Miss playing for my friend Rod Barnes.

You turned 75 earlier this summer: what did you do for the big day? Nothing special. My wife Donna and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last December so we had a big celebration with about 150 people in attendance. I probably played golf on my birthday.

You have already been inducted into several Hall of Fames and last month you were elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? Any type of award is a blessing. I am truly grateful that they selected me along with some outstanding people like Ted Owens/Jay Wright/Glen Rice/Danny Ainge/Walt Hazzard. I could not be more honored to join those legends.

Posted in News and Notes | Tagged | Leave a comment

To the Extreme: HoopsHD interviews Buffalo all-time leading scorer Javon McCrea

Posted on August 10, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The only people who used to get rich from playing basketball were the superstars who stuck around the NBA for more than a decade. Now it seems like every teenager with a little hype can get a 7-figure NIL deal from a big-time college program. However, if you are a great player who works hard you can carve out a nice little career for yourself in pro basketball. Javon McCrea was conference ROY as a freshman, an All-American as a senior, remains the leading scorer in school history, and has spent more than a decade playing pro basketball in the US and overseas. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Javon about being a sensational scorer and having a nice long pro career.

At Newark High School you set a Section V record with 17 BLK in a single game: what is the secret to being a dominant shot-blocker? The biggest key is being in the right place at the right time. Some nights your opponent will challenge you a lot, and other times you can get a lot of blocks just by helping out your teammates on defense.

In the 2011 CIT as a freshman at Buffalo you scored 7 PTS in a 1-PT win over Western Michigan: how on earth did your team win after making only 7-23 FT? That year we had a great defensive team with a lot of guys in addition to myself who were 6’5” and above like Mitchell Watt/Titus Robinson/Dave Barnett.

You finished that season by leading the conference with 63.1 FG% and being named MAC ROY: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? It was due to a lot of hard work that I put in during the offseason. I worked out for hours at a time and by the time I arrived on campus I was confident/in shape.

The school made a coaching change after your junior year: how hard was it to get a new coach for your final season, and what was the most important thing you learned from Coach Bobby Hurley? It was bittersweet: I am still close with the coach from my 1st 3 years (Reggie Witherspoon). When Coach Hurley came in you could see his level of intensity for every detail. He also had an assistant you might have heard of who was big on analytics: Nate Oats!

As a senior you averaged a double-double: how were you able to balance your scoring with your rebounding? It is all about effort at the end of the day. I know where to be positioned on the court: if a guy shoots from the corner it is most likely to come off the rim on the other side. I learned a lot of rebounding tips from Kevin Love.

In your final regular season game you scored a career-high 34 PTS/13-18 FG in a win over Bowling Green: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”, and how did it feel to finally make a 3-PT shot (the only 1 of your college career)?! That was a great game. We played against Richaun Holmes, who later spent a decade in the NBA. It was Senior Night so I wanted to go out and perform for everyone, and we ended up winning the MAC East regular season title that night.

In 2014 you were named MAC POY/All-American: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors? It is always great to have your hard work recognized. My teammates and I propelled the school to do great things in the years after that: the guys who came after me were able to upset Arizona in the 2018 NCAA tourney.

Your scoring/rebounding increased during each of your 4 years in college: how were you able to keep improving every single year? I worked tirelessly every offseason by training every single day. There are a lot of unseen hours in the gym that helped me get where I needed to.

Your 2004 career PTS is the most in school history: what is the key to being a great scorer, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record? The key is that I only attempted a couple of threes during my career. Many people think that shooting a lot of threes is the best way to score a lot of points, but for me the key to putting the ball in the basket is to get as close to the rim as possible and then make a lot of layups. Even with the extra COVID year, I think it will be tough for anyone to break my record because there are so many kids these days transferring schools every single year.

Since graduating you have played pro basketball overseas and in the ABA: how does basketball in other countries compare to basketball in the US, and what do you hope to do in the future? Basketball in other countries is tough: there is solid competition, but you also have to deal with different languages/adversity/food. There were a lot of years where I gained a lot of weight: sometimes that burger sounds better than other options on the menu, but nutrition is important. You also have to handle your money while spending time away from your family. Playing for the Buffalo Extreme in the ABA the past few years has been great because now my friends/family can come see me play in person.

Posted in News and Notes | Tagged , | Comments Off on To the Extreme: HoopsHD interviews Buffalo all-time leading scorer Javon McCrea

Call to the Hall: HoopsHD interviews brand-new College Basketball Hall of Famer Jay Wright

Posted on July 15, 2026 by Jon Teitel

It has been an amazing few months for Villanova basketball: in April it was announced that the Wildcats will face Notre Dame in Rome this fall, in June the Knicks won an NBA title with the help of alumni Mikal Bridges/Jalen Brunson/Josh Hart, and last Monday the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026 that includes 2-time national championship coach Jay Wright. If you look at his resume it is easy to see why he belongs in the Hall: 642 wins, 8 Big East regular season titles, 4 trips to the Final 4, 2-time Naismith College Coach of the Year, and even a gold medal as an assistant for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Jay about winning those 2 titles and being elected to yet another Hall of Fame.

Your Hall of Fame bio says that you fell in love with basketball in part due to watching games at the Palestra (aka “college basketball’s most historic gymnasium”): how do you explain those Big 5 battles to someone who has never seen them in person? In the 1960s/1970s when I 1st started watching, they were nationally ranked teams in the same city with local players who knew each other very well from competing against them each summer. Every game was a sell-out that was packed to the rafters, and it was like a “brotherly brawl”: just a magical time to be a basketball fan in Philly.

You played PG at Bucknell: how good a player were you back in the day, and how did you get into coaching? I was an average player, and like a lot of guys I probably thought that I was better than I was. When I finished playing, I knew that I still loved the game. My 1st job was with the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL, and after my friend Pat Flannery got a new job, he recommended me for an assistant coaching position at Rochester. From my very 1st day, I fell in love with it.

In 1987 you were hired as an assistant at Villanova under Coach Rollie Massimino: what was the most important thing that you ever learned from your fellow Hall of Famer? I learned so many things from him. The most important thing was to treat your team like your family and your players like your sons and take responsibility for their lives/growth as both men and players.

You got your 1st taste of success in March as a head coach in 2000/2001 at Hofstra when you made back-to-back NCAA tourney appearances after winning back-to-back conference tourney titles: what is the key to winning games in March? In March it is all about matchups. There were times when we had great teams but just ran into bad matchups, and other times when we matched up well with better teams who we ran into. You need great players because the NCAA tourney involves a unique kind of pressure, and we were blessed with many players who relished that opportunity.

Take me through your 2 title runs as coach at Villanova:
In 2016 you had a 95–51 win over Oklahoma (the largest margin of victory in Final 4 history) and then beat North Carolina in the title game on a 3-PT shot by Kris Jenkins at the buzzer (www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7FFJUz0tdo): do you think that shot by Kris is the biggest in college basketball history? I really do. There are other great shots like the NC State dunk in the 1983 title game (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfYb-JTmJs4), but I still think Kris had the best 1. It was a 3 at the buzzer in a tie game: it went back and forth all night and came down to that 1 play to win a title.

In the 2018 title game you beat Michigan to win your 2nd title in 3 years: how did title #2 compare to title #1? It was interesting to go through that journey in 2018 because we had several players from the 2016 team, even if they had played lesser roles 2 years earlier. The NCAA tourney is a gauntlet that lasts 3 weekends and each 1 is a unique challenge. I was impressed with how that team took on each level and was so dialed in/prepared. We had great leadership from Jalen Brunson/Mikal Bridges, and our experience was truly a differentiating factor.

You were known as 1 of the best-dressed coaches in the sport: did it give you any advantage, or do you just like wearing nice suits, or other? I always felt that I got more credit for it than I deserved. My tailor, rest his soul, Gabriele D’Annunzio, took great pride in it. I liked wearing nice suits…but I also liked wearing the quarter-zips after people started to wear those!

After retiring as a coach in 2022, you joined CBS/TNT as a college basketball analyst for a few years: how did you like the TV gig? It was totally different. The aspect I liked was being part of a team, with both the people behind the scenes as well as the other hosts. I also loved going to games the day before and watching coaches run their practices in preparation.

2018 tourney MOP Donte DiVincenzo won a ring with Milwaukee in 2021, and Mikal Bridges/Josh Hart/Jalen Brunson helped the Knicks win the NBA title last month for the 1st time in more than 50 years: what do you think the legacy of your 2016 title-winning team will be when people look back on that roster in the future? The 2016 team was the 1st to take us through the tourney. At the time people thought we had no future pros…but we ended up having several guys who are still in the NBA, and that is what made us so successful.

In 2021 you were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and earlier this week you were elected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame: where do those rank among the highlights of your career? There are things that you never aspire to. I look at the Hall of Fame as a place that is reserved for legendary greats, and I am more comfortable looking up to all those people. I am honored and it is so humbling to see everyone you are associated with in the Hall: it is surreal.

Posted in News and Notes | Tagged , | Comments Off on Call to the Hall: HoopsHD interviews brand-new College Basketball Hall of Famer Jay Wright

New Athletic Year, New Conferences

Posted on July 5, 2026 by John Stalica

As of July 1, the 2026-27 athletic year for the NCAA is now underway. Most notable for this season will not only be the expansion of the NCAA Tournament from 68 to 76 teams, but we are also seeing the most conference realignment since three seasons ago when the major FBS conferences all realigned. Here’s what’s new for this year:

The Pac-12 is back (but definitely not the classic Pac-12). Oregon State and Washington State kept the conference biologically alive, but they now have reinforcements with 5 teams (Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State) out of the Mountain West, Texas State from the Sun Belt and a little school called Gonzaga that is leaving their vaunted perch atop the West Coast Conference.

The Mountain West did add three teams back for all sports; Hawai’i, UC-Davis and UTEP will join the conference for all sports and they will add Northern Illinois and North Dakota State as football-only members in the FBS. Northern Illinois consequently left the MAC and will join the Horizon League for all sports except football.

The WAC saw Southern Utah and Utah Tech leave for the Big Sky and California Baptist and Utah Valley leave for the Big West; they rebranded as the United Athletic Conference and added Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Little Rock, North Alabama and West Georgia along with WAC holdovers Abilene Christian, Tarleton and UT-Arlington. As for the Big West, Sacramento State will join the conference as a new member this season and become an affiliate member of the MAC for football only (replacing Northern Illinois).

There were five other singular changes: the West Florida Argonauts will move up to Division 1 this year and join the Atlantic Sun Conference. Tennessee Tech will move from the Ohio Valley to the Southern Conference. Louisiana Tech is rejoining the Sun Belt Conference and departing Conference USA. Denver will join the West Coast Conference for all sports this season. Saint Francis departed the NEC and will move their athletics to Division III beginning in 2026-27.

While their teams will not change this upcoming season, the Metro Atlantic is rebranding itself as the Metro Conference this season; this will NOT have the history of the Metro Conference that existed from the 1970s through 1996 (when teams like Louisville, Cincinnati, Memphis and Charlotte had various stints in the conference).

As of right now, there are only 3 teams scheduled to join new conferences in 2027-28; Fairfield will leave the Metro and join the Coastal Athletic Association and the West Coast Conference will add UC-San Diego and UC-Santa Barbara to their ranks.

We have accordingly updated our Survival Board and NCAA Selection Committee pages for the upcoming season; Samford AD Martin Newton will be the Chairman of the Selection Committee this year.

Posted in CBB, News and Notes, Survival Board | Comments Off on New Athletic Year, New Conferences

Going for the Gold: HoopsHD interviews USA U-17 women’s national team member Eve Long

Posted on July 2, 2026 by Jon Teitel

For those of you who cannot wait to see the next generation of college basketball players, you are in luck. USA Basketball announced the roster for its U-17 women’s national team last weekend, which includes many high school stars such as Caroline Bradley (the 1st 5-star recruit in the Class of 2027 who committed to a college), Micah Ojo (4-time Virginia Class 5 state champ), and Ivanna Wilson Manyacka (2-time Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year). 1 of the players who has been rocketing up the rankings this year is Eve Long, who was named Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year this season as a junior. Eve is heading to Czechia next week to try to win a gold medal, but earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with her about choosing Notre Dame for college and winning a game by triple-digits.

You attended Breanna Stewart’s basketball camp in the past: what did you learn from 1 of the most accomplished players in women’s basketball history? I learned so much, but 1 of the biggest lessons was the importance of recovery. I had not been prioritizing that as much as I should have, so the fact that 1 of the best players ever focuses on it really opened my eyes.

You grew up in foster care where you were separated from 1 of your 2 older brothers, but you all later reunited and are now part of a group of 8 siblings: what impact has your family had on you either on or off the court? Adoption is a really big part of my story. All my siblings are very different and have their own personatlities, which has helped me on the court because I can connect with my teammates in different ways. It has also helped me become a more independent/responsible person.

Last year on your way to winning a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup you scored 11 PTS in a 131-12 win over Panama in the quarterfinals: what was it like to win a game by 119 PTS?! It was so insane! It was a record-breaking game and it was fun/energetic because everyone on our team played so well.

You were born/raised in Kansas and were named state Gatorade POY this year as a junior: what did it mean to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot. It had been a goal of mine since my freshman year and a lot of hard work went into it. They usually give that award in Kansas to a senior so I was really proud of myself to win it as a junior.

Last April on the Adidas 3-Stripes Select Basketball circuit you scored 52 PTS in a loss to 7 Days and Kaleena Smith (who won a gold medal last month at the FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup): was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDXLGZap7dU)? I started off slow in the 3 games before that and was frustrated with myself because I am used to performing at a higher level. I knew that I would have to shake off the past games that day and was glad that a lot of my shots went in.

You received scholarship offers from dozens and dozens of colleges: what made you choose Notre Dame last May? It was a really good choice for me because I connected with the coaching staff so well: I felt at peace and was very interested in them. They had several other great players commit to playing there so I wanted to step into a situation with a great team. It is also a great aceademic school that will set me up for life after basketball.

The Irish made the Elite 8 last spring and return 3-time All-American Hannah Hidalgo: how far do you think they will go next season? Their team is insane so I think they will at least make the Final 4 if not win the natty.

You have a weighted GPA that is almost 4.0: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? Just by planning ahead. My parents challenged me to be more responsible, so I want to do it for myself. I also need a high GPA to go to Notre Dame so I try to keep my grades up.

You are listed at 6’3”: what position do you play in high school, and what position will you feel most comfortable at in college? I am a versatile player but I play the 4/5 depending on what team I am on.

Last month you were named to the roster for the Women’s U-17 National Team: what does it mean to you to represent your country, and what would it mean to win a gold medal for the 2nd summer in a row? It means a lot to represent myself: for my state, for God, for my family, and for all the little girls who look up to me. 1 of my goals this year was to win another gold medal, and I really want to win it with this team.

Posted in News and Notes | Tagged , | Comments Off on Going for the Gold: HoopsHD interviews USA U-17 women’s national team member Eve Long

Man of Steal: HoopsHD interviews USA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team member Jacob Gilyard

Posted on June 30, 2026 by Jon Teitel

In addition to all the teenagers trying to win gold medals for USA Basketball this summer, there are also some veterans trying to help Team USA qualify for the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Qatar. The roster includes several former college stars such as 2020 Southland POY Kevon Harris, 2019 NCAA champ Jay Huff, and 2-time OVC POY Terry Taylor. 1 of the players with some prior professional experience is Jacob Gilyard, who spent 2 years in the NBA after setting the all-time NCAA record with 466 career STL at Richmond. Jacob is heading abroad in the days ahead for games vs. the Dominican Republic on Friday and Mexico on Monday, but earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with him about winning games in March and being a great defender.

You were born/raised in Kansas City, MO: what made you choose Richmond for college? I felt that the coaching staff, particularly head coach Chris Mooney/assistant coach Marcus Jenkins, did a good job of making me feel that they needed me. They did not make any promises that I would start as a freshman, but the gave me a chance to get some minutes, which was great because there was no NIL money back then.

In December 2017 you scored 23 PTS including a 3-PT shot with 0.4 seconds left in 3-PT win over JMU (www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYnbj2VxTVM): where does that rank among the highlights of your career? It was early in my career and that was a fun game. I had a STL a few possessions before that shot to keep it close: my teammates trusted me to have the ball in my hands at the end of the game, which gave me a lot of confidence.

During the 2022 postseason you won 4 games in 4 days to win the A-10 tourney title, then upset Iowa in the NCAA tourney before losing to Providence: what is the key to winning games in March? Staying together. Everyone has played 25-30 games at that point and has seen everything that their opponents do. We had a calm/cool/collected group that year, so even if the fans got loud there was nothing that rattled us.

You were named to the A-10 All-Defensive team 4 times and finished your career with an NCAA-record 466 STL: what is the key to being a great defender, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record? I saw that they passed a rule recently that players can stay in college for 5 years so I hope the record gets broken…but I am unsure if anyone will do it. I watched a lot of film and studied the game and took defense personally. Basketball is 50% offense and 50% defense so you must be good on both ends of the floor.

You played 2 years in the NBA with Memphis/Brooklyn: what is your favorite memory from your time in the NBA? 2 moments were pretty cool. Getting a block on my favorite player (Steph Curry) was incredible (www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ztxF00nwDI). My other favorite memory was in December 2023 when Ja Morant came back from suspension. In his 1st game back he took over down the stretch and made a game-winning floater to beat New Orleans, which was incredible to see from the sideline (www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7CoKXmtqts).

You also led the G League in AST in 2023: what is the secret to being a good PG? You need guys who can make shots! You need to read the defense, and pace is also a big part of it, but knowing your teammates’ tendencies is important so that you can make the game easier for everyone.

You are listed at 5’8”, which makes you 1 of the shortest players in NBA history: do you view your size as an advantage or a disadvantage on the court? I think it is a disadvantage, especially in today’s basketball era where it is a game of big wings. You need to turn your size into an advantage for yourself, which I feel I have done a good job of.

You have a birthday coming up next month: what are your plans for the big day? I am hoping we can win 2 games over the DR/Mexico, then come home so I can go have a good meal and celebrate with my family.

Your father Rodney played NAIA basketball and was his school’s all-time leader in AST/STL: who is the best athlete in the family? Believe it or not it is probably my older brother: he played football and runs faster/jumps higher. And as much as it hurts me to admit it, my dad was probably a better player.

Last week you were named to the roster for the USA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team: what does it mean to you to represent your country? It is incredible. When they called me, it was a no-brainer to represent the Stars and Stripes. The 4th of July is my mom’s favorite holiday, but my dad said that after spending 26 of them with family, why wouldn’t I try to help the US as best I can this weekend?

Posted in News and Notes | Tagged , | Comments Off on Man of Steal: HoopsHD interviews USA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team member Jacob Gilyard