Judson University Athletic Director Tony Tompkins is the new athletic director at Kansas City Kansas Community College.
A three-time basketball coach of the year in his first year as athletic director at Judson University in Elgin, Ill., Tompkins’ selection to the position was unanimously approved by the KCKCC Board of Directors at its monthly meeting today.
“I’m very excited,” said Tompkins. “It is a great opportunity with a lot of potential, especially with the new outdoor facilities. I played basketball at a community college and really believe in community colleges and what they can do for athletes in preparation for a four-year college experience.”
Named athletic director at Judson last May, the 37-year-old Tompkins supervises more than 330 student athletes in 15 sports along with overseeing marketing and fundraising efforts, monitoring student-athlete academic progress, supervising scheduling and eligibility and serving on the Hall of Fame committee.
Tompkins played basketball at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, Ill., from where he earned an Associates in Arts degree in 1996. He finished his undergraduate work at Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis, graduating with a BS in Secondary Education with a special emphasis in History.
He received teacher certification the following year and holes a Masters in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix in 2003.
Tompkins began his coaching career following his graduation from Missouri Baptist, serving one year each as assistant woman s basketball coach, men’s graduate assistant and junior varsity coach, and assistant men’s basketball coach as well as working as an admissions counselor.
Named head men’s coach in 2002, he was selected American Midwest Conference Coach of the year in both 2003-04 and 2004-05. Compiling records of 26-7 and 24-9, his teams won or shared conference championships, qualified for the NAIA national tournament and were ranked No. 16 in the nation in the final ratings both seasons.
In five seasons at Missouri Baptist, his teams won 110 games with a 70 percent winning percentage and had four All-Americans and 10 first team all- conference players.
Tompkins joined Judson University as associate head men’s basketball coach and admission liasion in 2007.
His recruitment of 14 players helped Judson win its first Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) championship and first berth in the NAIA Division II national tournament.
Elevated to head men’s basketball coach in 2008, Tompkins’ first team compiled a 21-11 record and won a share of the CCAC championship.
He followed up the next season with Coach of the Year selection after winning the conference tournament and qualifying for the NAIA Division II national tournament with a 17-13 record.
During his four years as head coach at Judson, Tompkins also served as interim athletic director and assistant athletic director.
Tompkins said one of the first orders of business in taking over the new position will be to meet with the current KCKCC coaches and athletes.
“I want to meet with all the teams individually and get to know the coaches and see what their needs are and how we can game plan during the summer,” said Tompkins.
Tompkins has visited the KCKCC campus on two occasions, the second time at an open forum. At the forum, Tompkins put heavy emphasis on academics with goals of an athletic department grade point average of 3.0 and for all student athletes to graduate with Associate’s Degrees.
He also said accountability will be vital for coaches, staff and student athletes.
“I’m very competitive,” said Tompkins. “We want our sports programs to be recognized at the national level and our coaches and athletes to perform with honor and integrity.”
Married, Tompkins and his wife, Heidi, have two daughters, Brooke, 10, and Haley, 7, and a son, Samuel, 5.
