Basketball Staff

BOB BOLEN, Head Coach

When Bob Bolen was hired in 1993, there was no basketball team, no athletic facilities, no dorms, and no student athletes. In just ten years, under the guidance of Coach Bolen, Mountain State University has risen to the top of the NAIA. Mountain State won the 2004 NAIA National Championship with a 74-70 victory over Concordia University (CA). Bolen was named the 2004 NAIA National Coach of the Year, 2004 Basketball Times National Coach of the Year, as well as the 2004 West Virginia AP College Coach of the Year. Bolen’s cougars have won 252 games in just ten seasons (Average over 25 wins a year). Mountain State University had the best record, 38-1, of any college team in the country during the 2003-04 campaign. MSU has been ranked in the top 3 (scoring) teams in the nation for ten consecutive seasons. Coach Bolen has been selected as the NAIA Independent Region Coach of the Year for the last six years. MSU has been to two National Championship games, two “sweet sixteen”, and has qualified for the National tournament six consecutive times (99, 00, 01, 02, 03, and 04). The cougars were ranked #1 in the country in 10 of the 12 polls before capturing the 2004 National Championship. Bolen is married to the former Lisa Toler; they have three children, daughter Katelynn (6), and sons Jaysen (3), and Andrew (1).

DAVE BARKSDALE, Assistant Coach

A state prep legend, Coach Dave Barksdale returned 3 years ago to serve as an assistant coach at Mountain State. Coach Barksdale led state basketball power Woodrow Wilson to a record 5 state championships in the 1990s (1990-92-93-97-98) and the Flying Eagles finished state runner-up 3 times as well. Barksdale played on the undefeated 1962 Woodrow Wilson team before prepping at Hargrave Military Academy. He later played both basketball and baseball as Furman University. Barksdale previously coached at Ridge Spring-Monetta (SC, 5 years), Orangeburg-Wilkerson (SC, 3 years) and collegiate at Alderson-Broaddus (7 years). Coach Barksdale and his wife, Geliah reside in the Beckley area and have 3 children and 1 grandchild.

ARTIS MADDOX, Assistant Coach

Coach Maddox returns for his 2nd season with the MSU Cougars. After his senior season, Artis signed a contract to play pro basketball in Switzerland, but due to injuries had to stay stateside. Artis is the 4th former player to return to help assist coach Bolen, but is the 1st to do so and win a national championship in the same year. Artis attended Robert E. Lee HS in Jacksonville, FL where he averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds per game. After graduating he attended Edward Waters College, where he was conference freshman of the year, averaging 14 points and 6 rebounds. He transferred to MSU the following year where he had 500 points over his career and is 2nd in FT percentage (.844) and in the top 10 in FG percentage (.531), 3-pt FG percentage (.432) and in steals with an average of 1.5 per game. He had a career high 6 steals vs. Wayland Baptist in the NAIA National Tournament.

ERNIE HINKLE, Manager

Ernie is a retired IBEW Master Electrician of 40 years. He is in his 3rd year as the MSU manager. He lives in Beckley with his wife of 43 years, Virginia (Jenny) Hinkle. He has one daughter, Sherry Hinkle Gregg, an MSU graduate, and a son Robert. He has 2 grandsons, Jason, an MSU student, and Adam, a WWHS student. His hobbies include basketball, softball, and bowling. He also served over 4 year in the US Marines. This past year the Alumni Association also honored Ernie for his efforts in supporting MSU athletics.

SCOTT BROOKS, ATC., Trainer

Scott is in his 9th year as the trainer for MSU. He and his wife, Marcie, reside in Daniels. They have a daughter, Hannah Grace 2. Scott graduated from Alderson-Broaddus in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in sports medicine. He has been employed as a Certified Athletic Trainer at Raleigh General Hospital’s Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic for the past 8 years. Scott also works with the women’s volleyball and softball teams at MSU.

STAN ROSE, Strength and Conditioning Coach

Stan has been a volunteer for 6 years. He is a graduate of Pineville HS and is a Bell Atlantic retiree. He and his wife, Goldie, reside in Beckley. She is a graduate of Baileysville HS and Beckley College. She is also retired from Beckley ARH. They have 7 children, 11 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

TOM MARTIN, Student Assistant

Tom is a senior marketing major who is in his 3rd year as the student assistant with the team. His additional duties include filming of the games and assisting with film exchange. He also has helped in the process of this media guide and also helps out the Sports Information Director in helping assist the visiting teams feel comfortable. He was married on Sept. 4 th to Roxie Tilley, a Nursing student at MSU and now has 4 stepchildren, Nikki 12, Lea, 6 and twins Jackie and Jessie 3. He is the son of Jackson Martin…graduated from Graham HS in Bluefield, VA…hopes to be working in a sports information capacity upon graduation.

PAUL VAN SCOTT, Broadcaster

Paul was born and raised in Washington, DC…Graduated from Columbia School of Broadcasting in 1988. Moved to Beckley in 1994 to work for Southern Communications. He has one daughter Giavanna…He has broadcast over 150 CWV/MSU games including all of the NAIA Nationla Tournament games.. He hosts a daily Sports Talk Show called “The 620 Sports Club”, on WWNR. This year you can hear him broadcast the games on WTNJ 105.9

KATHY LEWIS-PAYNE, Champions of Character Rep.

Kathy is in her 4th year as Mountain State University’s Champions of Character Representative, and her 9th year as a marketing/management professor for the School of Business. She also serves as Assistant Coach for the MSU Cougar Cheerleaders. Originally from Huntington, WV, where she graduated from Marshall University earning 3 degrees, she now resides in Fayetteville with her husband Chris and their son Chuckie, who is also a MSU student. Kathy currently serves as the chair of the MSU faculty.

E. STUART CORNETT, M.D., Team Physician

Dr. Cornett begins his 2nd season as the team physician for the MSU Cougars. Stuart was born in Beckley in 1971, graduated from Oak Hill HS in 1989, WVU B.S. Biology in 1993 and the school of Medicine in 1997. He is board certified in anesthesiology and peri-operation transesophageal echocardiography. He is currently employed by Raleigh General Hospital, an Assistant Professor of Cardiac Anesthesia at WVU, and Medical Director for Jan-Care Ambulance Service. He is married to Ashlei Cornett, also from Beckley and they have 2 children, Bailei 7, and Kennedy 4.

NORMAN W. HINKLE, Faculty Athletics Rep.

Norm is an Associate Professor of Accounting at MSU. He has been a full time faculty for fourteen years and has served as Faculty Athletics Representative for nine years. He and his wife, Julie, reside in Beckley.

CARLOS GARTEN, PA Announcer

Mr. Garten has been working in sports in some capacity for almost 56 years. He was the Umpire in Chief in WV in softball for 22 years and has umpired 21 softball World Series. He had been the public address announcer as Raleigh County Armory-Civic Center for all basketball games foe well over 36 years. He prides himself on only missing 7 games throughout his time at the Armory.

BOBBY SMITH, Clock Operator

Mr. Smith is employed by the Beckley Veterans Medical Center in the Dietetics and Food Service department. He is the clock operator at the Raleigh County Armory for all basketball games and is starting his 14th season. He is also a registered basketball referee for 17 yrs. His hobbies include playing basketball, jogging, playing guitar, singing and perfecting self-defense techniques.

RITA BURLESON, Scorekeeper

Mrs. Burleson is employed by the Raleigh County Board of Education as a teacher for 24 yrs. She is the scorekeeper at the Raleigh County Armory for all basketball games for the past 14 yrs. Her hobbies include jogging, counted cross-stitch and baking.

KENNY BURLESON, Shot Clock Operator

Mr. Burleson is employed by the Raleigh County Board of Education as a teacher for 24 yrs. He is the shot clock operator at the Raleigh County Armory for all college games and is beginning his 6th season. He was the coach for the Trap Hill Middle School basketball team.

JENNIFER SMOLDER, Music Coordinator

Ms. Smolder is a student in her senior year at MSU in the Criminal Justice program. She will graduate in May. She is the music coordinator for all basketball games at the Raleigh County Armory going into her 5th season. She is a registered High School Softball umpire completing her 3rd year. Her hobbies include playing basketball, collecting baseball cards and working on her computer.

JEFF MOLLOHAN, Statistician

Mr. Mollohan was born and raised in Beckley, graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1989. He attended WVU, where he graduated in 1993 with a degree in Marketing. He later attended Concord College while working at H L Mollohan & Associates as an accountant. After passing the CPA Exam in 2001 and worked in his father’s firm until May 2002. He is now employed by Mountaineer Hyundai as a controller/asst. general manager. He resides in Beckley with his wife, Micki, and his daughter Reghan.

SAM HALL, Statistician

Sam is the collections manager for Pioneer Community Bank,his wife, Susie Lynn is the Facilitations Manager for AEP. They are the parents of two children, AJ, who is a salesman for Ramey Ford in Beckley, and Kasie, a junios at Marshall University. Sam has been the statistician for the MSU basketball team since 1994. Same is a 1973 graduate of Oceana High School and attended Marshall University and The College of West Virginia.