Cory Cole - Women's Basketball Coach

Cory Cole

Title:
Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator
Email:
cac9156@utulsa.edu
Phone:
2639

Cory Cole is in his second year with the Golden Hurricane as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He joined the Tulsa staff prior to the 2019-20 season.

Cole came to Tulsa after serving as the head coach for the Oklahoma Christian University men’s basketball team for three years (2016-19). At the helm for the Eagles, Cole posted a 31-54 mark, including a 4-4 mark against teams that spent time ranked among the top-25 in Division II. He led OCU to the Heartland Conference Championship finals in 2018 and semifinals in 2019. Cole managed all aspects of the program, including supervision of the staff, budget management, basketball operations, academic monitoring, fundraising and travel.

Prior to his head coaching duties at OC, Cole served as the associate head coach at Grand Canyon University on the women’s side for seven years (2009-2016). His primary duties included serving as recruiting and defensive coordinator, player development and opponent scouts. Cole helped the Lopes advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and then was instrumental in the transition to Division I prior to the 2013-14 season. In their first season at the Division I level, GCU registered a 20-10 mark and advanced to the Women’s Basketball Invitational.

Before his stint at Grand Canyon, Cole was an assistant coach with the women’s basketball program at Oklahoma Christian (1997-2006). He helped the Eagles make eight-straight NAIA National Tournament appearances, including advancing to the round of 16 five times and the quarterfinals in 2003. Cole coached 17 NAIA All-Americans and 22 all-conference honorees.

Prior to his nine years with the OC women’s program, Cole spent the 1996-97 season working with the OC men’s basketball program as an assistant coach.

Cole was a four-year letterwinner (1990-94) and one of OC basketball’s all-time greats, earning an induction into the OC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. He was the 1994 Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Year, 1994 first-team All-American, 1993 third-team All-America selection, three-time all-SAC first-team honoree and 1993 NAIA all-District 9 performer. Cole helped lead the Eagles to an NAIA Tournament berth in 1994, while concluding his career with 1,916 points and 1,322 rebounds. He still ranks first in school history for rebounds and fourth for points scored.

After concluding his collegiate career, Cole played professionally in England for the Thames Valley Tigers during the 1995-96 season. He was a Budweiser League All-Star, and averaged 21.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

As a prep player at Norman High School, Cole helped his team to an undefeated season in 1990, as well as winning the championship in the state’s highest class his freshman season.

A Norman, Okla., native, Cole and his wife, Cristi, have two daughters, Crislyn and Caylor, and one son, Caison.