Rusty Elmore named Head Men's Basketball Coach at Garden City
Garden City, KS-There is no other coach in the Jayhawk Conference who has done more with less than Rusty Elmore. And that isn't hyperbole by any stretch of the imagination. His resume proves it.
Two years after guiding Colby to its first ever National Tournament berth, Elmore was named the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Garden City Community College on Wednesday. He replaces Bill Morosco who resigned earlier this month to become the new head man at Indian River State College in Florida.
"This is a dream opportunity to be the Head Coach at Garden City," Elmore said. "From the administration, the community support, and the resources, everything is in place to make this one of the premier programs in the country."
Elmore, 46, comes to Garden City after a tremendous three-year run with Colby where he produced a 49-30 overall record. In 2020, the team finished 27-5, captured the program's first regular-season title, and won the Region VI crown for the first time ever. The Trojans finished No. 10 in the final NJCAA poll in 2020 and Elmore was named the Jayhawk West Coach of the year.
"Everybody will look at Coach Elmore's record the last three years and say that this was an easy decision," Director of Athletics, Mike Pilosof said. "But there are layers to this. There are so many other intangibles that he brings to the program other than the wins and losses. His guys have gotten it done in the classroom and in the community. Coach Elmore is a winner all the way around."
In three years at Colby, he had six players named to the NJCAA All-Academic team while his players posted the 19th best grade point average in the country. He coached All-American Demarcus Sharp who was also the conference player of the year.
"My staff and I are going to work night and day to help make Garden City a big-tine success," Elmore added.
Before arriving in Colby, Elmore spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Moberly Area Community College where the Greyhounds compiled a 54-12 record and qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament in 2019. Prior to that, he was an assistant at powerhouse Vincennes University where in his lone season on the bench, the Trailblazers went 32-3 and finished fifth in the final NJCAA poll.
"This program has been in good hands the last two years with Coach Cole Dewy and Coach Bill Morosco," Pilosof said. "I fully expect Coach Elmore to build off those successes going forward."
Elmore began his coaching career at Lindsey Wilson College in 2010 helping the Blue Raiders qualify for the National Tournament twice. In 2013, Lindsey Wilson finished second in the nation in the final NAIA poll. In 2014, he was hired at Union College where the Bulldogs won a program-best 30 games en route to claiming the Appalachian Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles. He also spent time at NCAA Division-II Kentucky Wesleyan where his team was ranked as high as No. 9 in the country and won the Great Midwest Athletic Conference's regular-season and tournament crowns.
Before getting into coaching, Elmore worked for eight years as a media executive with WGN-TV in Chicago, the Chicago White Sox Radio Network, ABC Asheville, and NBC Atlanta. He earned his bachelor's degree in liberal studies from Middle Tennessee State University and a master's degree in athletic administration from Western Kentucky. He moves to Garden City with his wife, Katie and their two daughters: Elise and Nora.
"Coach Elmore brings a tireless work ethic to Garden City," Pilosof explained. "During the interview process, he made it known that he wants to win a National Championship."
Elmore has already reshuffled his staff naming current assistant, Bobby Naubert as the Associate Head Coach.
Elmore will be formally introduced at a press conference on July 12 in the Hall of Fame Room at the Dennis Perryman Athletic Complex.