FORT MYERS, Fla. – FGCU men's basketball assistant coach Kyle Griffin has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2022 TopConnect Basketball Symposium presented by Teamworks and INFLCR on Monday, June 27, at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
 
The TopConnect Basketball Symposium identifies the top assistant basketball coaches in the country and connects them with mid-major Athletic Directors providing tremendous networking and leadership development opportunities for both parties.
 
"This is a tremendous opportunity for Kyle who is really one of the top up-and-coming assistant coaches in the country," said head coach Pat Chambers. 
 
Griffin joined the Eagles earlier this spring after four years at La Salle including the past two as associate head coach.
 
In addition to La Salle, Griffin has been a member of the staffs at Lehigh (2013-16) and Robert Morris (2016-18). He started as an assistant coach with the Explorers in 2018-19 before being elevated to associate head coach in 2020-21.
 
Before working in the collegiate ranks, Griffin served as Director of Team Events for the Hoop Group managing high school showcases and AAU events. He assisted in the recruitment and organization of the largest event offered by the Hoop Group in the Pittsburgh Jam Fest. Also while with Hoop Group, Griffin was the Director of Operations and Director of the Philly Hoop Group Classic, a Division I tournament that included Pittsburgh, Penn, La Salle, Rider, Robert Morris and James Madison.
 
In its fifth year, TopConnect develops educational programming that allows these top assistant coaches to hear from a wide variety of successful leaders and speakers. The 2022 symposium is headlined by a panel of prominent and successful head coaches in Lindy LaRocque, Head Women's Basketball Coach at University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Simon Harris, Head Women's Basketball Coach at East Tennessee State University; John Aiken, Head Men's Basketball Coach at McNeese State University and retired Head Coach, Lon Kruger. 
 
Athletic Directors presenting include, Mark Benson, University of Albany; Mike Capaccio, The Citadel; Bryan Blair, University of Toledo; Chris King, Robert Morris; Scott Garrett, Cleveland State University, Alex Ricker-Gilbert, Jacksonville University; Eugene Marshall, Hampton University; Drew Marrachello, Boston University; and Gene Taylor, Kansas State University.
 
Also, joining the lineup of influential speakers are Debbie Spander, Insight Sports Advisors; Colton Houston, HD Intelligence; Glenn Sugiyama, DHR Global; Jeff Schemmel, College Sport Solutions and Kevin Barefoot, Teamworks.
 
Panel discussions and breakout sessions include Expectations of a Head Coach; Preparing for the Interview; First 365 Days Managing the Season and Developing Real Expectations; What ADs are looking for; Scheduling; NIL; Discipline and Motivation; Mental Health; Core Values; Building Support; The Future of College Basketball.  
 
The fan-favorite "Speed Dating" returns and allows for rapid networking to take place between the assistant coaches and administrators. 
 
The three-word mantra of "Connect. Prepare. Lead." identifies the purpose of TopConnect.
 
Since the inception of TopConnect in 2018, 35 assistant coach and assistant athletic director participants have been promoted to the next chair of Head Coach and Athletic Director as well as a Conference Commissioner.
 
For complete coverage of FGCU men's basketball, follow the Eagles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FGCU_MBB and online at www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign-up to have news on FGCU men's basketball and other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.

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COACH CHAMBERS
Pat Chambers was officially introduced as the fifth FGCU men's basketball head coach in March 2022 bringing a wealth of experience in college basketball highlighted by head coaching stints at Penn State and Boston University. Chambers spent nine years leading the Penn State (2011-20) program and two years as head coach at Boston University (2009-11). He has 190 career victories in that span including four 20-plus win seasons. Part of his career as a head coach was highlighted by leading the Nittany Lions to a No. 9 national ranking in 2019-20 which tied the program's best-ever ranking set in 1996. Prior to becoming a head coach, he spent five seasons as part of the Villanova staff helping the Wildcats to a Final Four (2009), two Elite Eight, and three Sweet Sixteen appearances during his tenure.
 
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 92 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 15 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11 seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 45 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn at at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as four of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 26 consecutive semesters. The past five semesters (Fall 2019 – Spring 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
 
--FGCUATHLETICS.COM--