UT Tyler Announces Addition of Basketball Coaches

May 22, 2002

UT Tyler Announces Addition of Basketball Coaches

Matthew Wallis and Terri Deike have been named men's and women's head basketball coaches, respectively, at The University of Texas at Tyler, Dr. Howard Patterson, athletic director, announced.

"UT Tyler is very fortunate to have these outstanding individuals joining the staff to begin the basketball programs," Patterson said.

Both coaches will spend the 2002-03 season recruiting student athletes and scheduling in preparation for the teams' first season of competition in 2003-04.

The UT Tyler men's and women's basketball programs will compete in the university's gymnasium, which is a part of the 127,500 square-foot recreational facility, known as the Patriot Center, currently under construction.

The Patriot Center will open in 2003.

Wallis served as first assistant coach for Montana State University women's basketball program, a member of the NCAA's Big Sky Conference in 2001-2002. He also was assistant coach at Division II Texas Wesleyan University in 2000-2001.

"Matt Wallis is another first-class individual with a good mixture of NCAA basketball experience at the DI, DII and DIII levels. He played for one of the finest small college coaches in the country, the late Dr. Bob Mason. Dr. Mason would be proud for Matt and this appointment. Matt was a highly successful DIII player at Austin College and he knows how to be successful at that level," Patterson said.

Wallis served one year as assistant coach at Austin College before landing his first head coaching position at Class 2A Tom Bean High School located north of Dallas near Sherman. Wallis led the Tomcats to a playoff berth in 2000, breaking an 11-year post-season drought.

He holds a master's degree in kinesiology from Texas A&M-Commerce and a bachelor's degree from Austin College.

Deike boasts a 22-year career coaching varsity girl's basketball, 11 of those years in her current position for Class 4A Whitehouse High School. She also has coached at Hallsville ISD, Belton ISD and Overton ISD.

"Coach Deike has tremendous experience. When one talks about East Texas girl's basketball, Coach Deike's name has to come up. She is highly regarded by her peers and former players and is going to make an immediate impact at UT Tyler," said Patterson.

Deike's career highlights include leading the Whitehouse Lady Wildcats to the 1991 District 15 4A championship.
She also teaches honors biology and anatomy and physiology at Whitehouse High School.

She earned a master's degree from UT Tyler and a bachelor's degree from East Texas State University.

For more information, contact Patterson, (903) 566-7350.