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ST. LOUIS – The men’s basketball staff at Saint Louis University continues to take shape as head coach Travis Ford today announced Chris Tifft as Director of Basketball Operations.
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“We are excited to bring someone with Chris’ experience onto our staff,” Ford said. “He has coached at different levels and has been a head coach, so he knows what I’m going through day to day. Having him here to help me with the basketball operation is going to be crucial. Chris is going to be a great asset to our program.”
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Tifft, a native of Macomb, Ill., comes to SLU after four years at TCU, including the previous two as an assistant coach. Tifft helped the Horned Frogs land their best recruiting class in history in 2013, a group rated by ESPN as the 34th best in the nation.
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“I am extremely excited to be joining Coach Ford and the Billikens’ staff,” Tifft said. “Having competed against Coach Ford’s teams in the Big 12 Conference, I know he will work tirelessly to build a program that succeeds at the highest level, and I look forward to being part of that effort. When combining the Atlantic 10 Conference, the city of St. Louis and the prestige of Saint Louis University, there are few places that provide such a great opportunity.”
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Previously, Tifft served as head coach at New Mexico Junior College and Lamar Community College. In eight years as a JUCO head coach, Tifft compiled a 158-94 record. While at Lamar in 2009, he was named the NJCAA District IX Coach of the Year.
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Tifft also served as an assistant coach at Dodge City Community College and at his alma mater, Nevada. He played two seasons at Nevada and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in geography in 1996 and a master’s degree in secondary education in 1999.Â
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Tifft and his wife, Heather, have one daughter, Kamryn.
