Rodney "Mac" McConnell was introduced as the seventh Head Men's Basketball Coach in March 2020.
Mac McConnell brings with him nearly two decades of coaching experience at multiple levels. His history of recruiting and developing players is vast, including 12 former players who have gone on to play professionally, as well as 27 all-conference players and two All-Americans.
In 2021-22 McConnell led TAMIU to one of its best seasons in recent years, finishing the season 13-14 the most wins in a season since 2016. TAMIU started the season with a program record setting 6-0 start, as well as the best overall start at 10-2. Two players earned All-LSC accolades on the year, and the Dustdevils ended up ranked in the South-Central Region Poll for the first time since 2016, reaching as high as fourth.
McConnell comes to TAMIU after three seasons as the associate head coach at fellow Lone Star Conference (LSC) school Tarleton State University. While with the Texans, he helped guide the team to three straight appearances in the LSC Tournament. McConnell coached five All-LSC players, as well as the 2019 LSC Defensive Player of the Year. He was previously at Tarleton as an assistant coach for the 2004-2005 season and helped guide the team to a berth in the NCAA Division II Final Four.
Before arriving at Tarleton for his most recent stint, McConnell spent two seasons at NAIA Wiley College as associate head coach. At Wiley, he helped guide his team to a 25-10 record in the 2016-2017 season with a berth in the NAIA National Tournament. While there, his team knocked off NCAA Division I Sam Houston State and Grambling State, as well as seven wins over ranked NAIA opponents in two seasons. He also coached two First Team All-Americans and two First Team All-Conference players.
McConnell spent two seasons as the head coach at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. At ECU, his team knocked off top-ranked Newman in the 2012-2013 season. He also coached two all-conference players.
McConnell earned his first opportunity as a head coach at Ranger College, a junior college in Ranger, Texas, where he spent four seasons. While there, he led his teams to back-to-back 20-win seasons, including a 24-10 record in 2009-2010 which at the time was the program’s best record in 20 years.
He also had stops as an assistant coach at Angelo State, McNeese State, University of Montana-Missoula and Hill College.
As a player, McConnell played for three years at Tarleton posting a record of 53-29 under legendary head coach Lonn Reisman.
A native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, McConnell earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tarleton.
