Jefferson County native Ken Tyler begins his second season as the head coach of the Shepherd College men's basketball program.

"I am a native of the Eastern Panhandle, and I'm very aware of the rich tradition of Shepherd basketball. I hope to tap into that tradition and build relationships with alumni and the community. We will put forth a program here, sooner rather than later, in which everyone can take pride in."

Tyler posted an 87-64 record in six seasons as the head men's basketball coach at Albright College. He also led the Lions to the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League championship in 1997-98. Under Tyler's direction, the Lions qualified for the MAC playoffs for four straight years and also qualified for the ECAC Championships for three straight seasons. In addition, Tyler served as assistant athletic director at Albright.

Tyler brings an extensive basketball background as both a player and a coach to Shepherd. He was a backup guard at prestigious William & Mary, a Division I college noted for its academics, and from which he earned both his bachelor of arts and master's degrees. While at William & Mary, he played against 1987 Wooden Award winner David Robinson of Navy. He also served as an assistant coach under Lefty Driesell at James Madison University in 1994-95. He had other stints as a collegiate assistant at Roanoke (1993-94) and East Stroudsburg (1991-92), and as a high school head coach at Gloucester (Virginia) High School.

"We hope to reestablish a culture of excellence in the basketball program and begin the process of implementing the Triangle Philosophy. If we are successful in doing that, then in the long run, I fully expect our program to be contending for the WVIAC title."

Tyler is an avid reader and a Civil War buff. He is a frequent motivational speaker at civic and corporate functions, as well as summer basketball camps. He resides outside Shepherdstown with his wife, Dawn, and their children, five-year-old son, Jordan, and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Logan.