By: Audrey Mendenhall
Men’s basketball is starting off on a high note as they head into the preseason. With a mix of returners and incomers, the men are ready to take on a tough schedule under their new head coach, Troy Tonsil.
Tonsil, also known as “Coach T”, is the new head coach this year, but not new to the team. Since 2012, Coach T was the assistant coach to the men’s basketball team at Dominican.
He also played at Dominican as a player in the 2005-2008 seasons, the three “most successful three-year stretch in the program since Dominican joined the NCAA Division III ranks in 2000”, according to the DU Stars athletics website. With over 15 years of coaching, Tonsil should be ready for the upcoming season as head coach.
Junior Captain Andre Bennett, a second-year player at Dominican, feels confident about the new coach. . “I am really excited,” said Bennett. “I am familiar with him and really respect him as a coach.”
Bennett also said he thinks Coach Tonsil works well with all the players in preparing for upcoming seasons.
“Coach Tonsil was a very active voice in the locker room last year,” said Bennett. “The players love playing for him. We love playing hard for him, and we want to win for him. Getting that first win is going to be great for him, and getting the first win in the first game is going to be awesome for him”.
According to the DU Stars athletics website, the men’s basketball program has not made it to the NACC tournament since the 2016-17 season. They lost to Concordia University of Wisconsin in the first round.
“The goals for this season are simple”, said Bennett., “You should win as many games as possible, make the conference tournament, do well in the conference tournament to make the National tournament. We do not have a losing mentality this year. We expect to win every time we step on the floor, and we are going to ensure that we do whatever it takes to make sure that happens”.
The players are ready to turn the season around from the past and head into the future.
Junior Danny Nennig has “100% trust in Coach T and knows he is going to take the team to where it needs to be.”
Multiple players gave Coach Tonsil some important advice this season.. The consensus was simple — communicate with players and be a voice for them. Senior Robbie Taylor, said it well: “Stay connected with the players. If he has a personal relationship with the players, […] we will be better as a team this year.”
Coming into the 2023-24 season with a 7-17 record, there is still enough room for improvement. With a team ready to work hard and a new coach that the players have trust in and are familiar with, this should be a good year for Dominican Men’s Basketball.
amendenhall@my.dom.edu
