COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech athletics staff has
welcomed four graduate assistants for the 2011-12 season. Don
Hardcastle will work with the Golden Eagle volleyball team, Selena
Roberts is part of the Marketing and Corporate Sales staff, Chuck
Cushman is on the Sports Medicine staff and Amber Cockrill will
assist in Compliance and Development.
Don Hardcastle
Hardcastle is in his first year as the Tennessee Tech volleyball
graduate assistant coach under head coach John Blair, after
spending the last three seasons as the team’s manager and a
student-assistant.
A native of Johnson City, Tenn., Hardcastle recently completed
his four-year undergrad in accounting, and will continue towards
his MBA.
In 2009, Hardcastle co-founded the men’s volleyball club
team at Tennessee Tech and has served as a player/coach since the
club’s inception.
Hardcastle, 22, attended high school at Providence Academy in
Johnson City where he played four seasons of basketball as a small
forward. He also competed in one season of cross country.
Hardcastle has also helped out at several volleyball camps,
including the Volley Performance camps in Atlanta and several of
the TTU volleyball clinics over the past few years. He has also
participated in volleyball camps at Clemson University, along with
former TTU graduate assistant Kelsey Murphy.
Selena Roberts
Roberts, 22, has joined the Tennessee Tech Athletics staff as a
graduate assistant for marketing and corporate sales. A Cookeville
native, she is a 2007 graduate of Upperman High School in Baxter
where she was a cheerleader for the Bees for four years. In August,
2011, she received a degree from TTU in accounting, and is
currently enrolled in the MBA program working toward her master's
with a concentration in accounting.
She was active on campus as an undergraduate, including membership
in the TTU Accounting Club and participant in intramural softball.
She also worked as an undergraduate in marketing for athletics.
In her G.A. position, she will work for Director of Marketing and
Corporate Sales Misty Pearson. Among her duties will be advertising
sales, promotions and game production.
Chuck Cushman
Chuck Cushman, 24, is in his first year as a graduate assistant
athletic trainer on Joe Erdeljac's Sports Medicine staff at
Tennessee Tech, following receipt of his bachelor's degree from SIU
Carbondale.
A native of Marshall, Ill., Cushman worked as an undergrad
trainer at SIU Carbondale where he tended several teams including
the football, baseball and track and field teams. He worked under
SIU Carbondale trainers Ed Thompson, Lee Land and Kristin Trotter,
earning his degree in exercise science, with a focus on athletic
training in 2010.
Cushman's primary sport will be football, and he will also work
with the Golden Eagle cross country and both indoor and outdoor
women's track & field teams.
Cushman is currently pursuing his graduate degree in exercise
science and health and wellness.
Amber Cockrill
Amber Cockrill, 23, is in her first year at Tennessee Tech,
splitting time between working with Frank Harrell in compliance and
Kevin Bostian in development.
Her primary duties will include researching and locating
previous Golden Eagle alumni, and assisting in fundraising and
annual fund programs instigated by athletics.
A native of Carthage, Tenn., Cockrill graduated from Tennessee
Tech with an undergraduate degree in fitness and wellness in 2010.
She is pursuing her graduate degree in lifetime wellness. She was
also a member of the TTU cheerleading squad for four years.