Texas names Darby Rich as new men's basketball strength and conditioning, athletic performance coach

Texas men’s basketball named Darby Rich its strength and conditioning, athletic performance coach on Wednesday. He replaces Cory Schlesinger, who left Texas for a role with the Detroit Pistons.

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What follows is from a University of Texas press release.

Darby Rich has been named Strength and Conditioning, Athletic Performance for the Men’s Basketball program at The University of Texas, Head Coach Rodney Terry announced Wednesday. Rich brings 21 years of sports performance coaching experience and 27 overall years of service in collegiate athletics to the Texas staff. During his coaching career, he has helped lead 10 teams to the NCAA Tournament and developed 15 NBA players.

Prior to coming to Austin, Rich spent last year as Men’s Basketball Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Memphis with head coach Penny Hardaway. The Tigers posted a 22-10 overall record, including an 11-7 mark in the American Athletic Conference during the 2023-24 season.

Rich worked for two years (2021-23) as the Men’s Basketball Strength and Conditioning Coach at Texas Tech University. The Red Raiders registered a 27-10 overall mark, including a 12-6 record in the Big 12 Conference (third place) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 during the 2021-22 season. Texas Tech went 18-0 at home for the first time in program history in the regular season, finished at No. 12 in both the final AP and USA TODAY Coaches’ polls, and ranked No. 1 nationally in KenPom defensive efficiency.

Prior to his time in Lubbock, Rich spent two years (2019-21) as the Men’s Basketball Strength and Conditioning Coach at Memphis with Coach Hardaway. The Tigers recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons and won the 2021 NIT Championship. Memphis tallied a 21-10 overall record in 2019-20 prior to the postseason being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Precious Achiuwa earned AAC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors in 2020. James Wiseman was the No. 2 selection by the Golden State Warriors and Achiuwa was the No. 20 pick by the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Draft. The Tigers registered a 20-8 overall mark (11-4 AAC) and claimed the NIT Championship in 2020-21, and Moussa Cisse was named the AAC Freshman of the Year. Memphis ranked No. 1 nationally in KenPom defensive efficiency during the 2020-21 season.

Rich worked for eight years (2011-19) as the Men’s Basketball Strength and Conditioning Coach at Texas A&M University with head coach Billy Kennedy. During his time in College Station, Rich helped develop four NBA players including Robert Williams, Khris Middleton, Danuel House and Alex Caruso and nine all-conference individuals. The Aggies tallied a total of 151 victories (18.9 per season) during Rich’s eight seasons in College Station, won the 2016 Southeastern Conference regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 in both 2016 and 2018.

Middleton was the No. 39 selection in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons who became a three-time NBA All-Star and won the NBA Championship in 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks. After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, House has played in nearly 300 career NBA games for six teams (Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers) over the last eight years. Caruso, also undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, finished as Texas A&M’s all-time leader in career assists (649) and steals (27). He has spent seven seasons in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls, winning an NBA Championship in 2020 with the Lakers and earning NBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2023 with the Bulls.

During the 2015-16 season, Texas A&M posted a 28-9 overall record (13-5 SEC), claimed the SEC regular-season championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16. The following year in 2016-17, freshman Robert Williams earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year accolades. During the 2017-18 season, Texas A&M registered a 22-13 mark (9-9 SEC) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 and Williams again garnered SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Williams was the No. 27 pick of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics.

Rich worked as a volunteer assistant coach at Sam Houston State during the 2009-10 season. The Bearkats registered a 25-8 record (14-2 Southland), won the Southland Conference regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 64.

Rich served for five years (2004-09) as Men’s Basketball Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Oklahoma. The Sooners tallied a 114-50 (.695) overall mark during those five seasons, advancing to four NCAA Tournaments and winning one Big 12 regular season title.

Oklahoma went 25-8 (12-4 Big 12), claimed the Big 12 regular season championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in the 2004-05 season. The following year in 2005-06, the Sooners posted a 20-9 mark (11-5 Big 12) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. Oklahoma registered a 23-12 record (9-7 Big 12) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in the 2007-08 season. During Rich’s final year in Norman in 2008-09, the Sooners notched a 30-6 mark (13-3 Big 12) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. Blake Griffin earned consensus National Player of the Year honors in 2009 and was selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Rich spent two years (2002-04) as the strength and conditioning coach for the Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs at the University of South Carolina. The men’s basketball team tallied a 23-11 mark (8-8 SEC) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 during the 2003-04 season. The Gamecocks’ women’s team registered a 23-8 record and went to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in the 2002-03 campaign.

He worked for one-and-a-half years (2001-02) as a strength and conditioning intern with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, working under legendary strength coach Joe Jurazsek. Rich spent three seasons (1998-2001) as an assistant coach at Sam Houston State. The Bearkats posted a 22-7 record in 1999-2000, winning the Southland Conference regular season title for the first time in program history and setting the school’s Division I record for most wins in a season. 

Rich began his collegiate coaching career by working for four years (1993-97) as an assistant coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College. In addition to his assistant coaching duties, he also served as the school’s strength and conditioning coach. Hutchinson registered an overall record of 118-24 (.831) during Rich’s four seasons with the Blue Dragons. Rich was hired by then-Hutchinson head coach and current Texas assistant coach Steve McClain. In the 1993-94 season, Rich and McClain led the Blue Dragons to a 35-4 overall record and the NJCAA National Championship.

During his undergraduate career, Rich played five seasons (1987-92) at the University of Alabama. He helped the Crimson Tide make four NCAA Tournament appearances (1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992), including back-to-back Sweet 16 trips in 1990 and 1991. Rich serves as a team tri-captain during his senior year in 1991-92 and was collegiate teammates with future NBA stars Robert Horry (1988-92) and Latrell Sprewell (1990-92).

A native of Greer, S.C., Rich is a 1992 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in criminal justice. He was an all-state basketball player at Riverside High School. Rich and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons, Case and Cannon.

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During the recently completed 2023-24 season, Texas posted a 21-13 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. With their victory over Colorado State in the NCAA Round of 64, the Longhorns won their NCAA First Round game for the third consecutive season. This marked the first time Texas has accomplished the feat since UT won four-straight NCAA First-Round games from 2006-09. The Longhorns are one of just eight programs in Division I men’s basketball to advance to at least the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in each of the last three seasons, joining Baylor, Creighton, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Michigan State and Tennessee.