GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Rhys Pepino has been named an assistant coach for the Tusculum University women's basketball team announced TU head coach Tandy Bradford.
Pepino assists with all aspects of the program including recruiting, scouting, player development, academic advisement, travel coordination and social media coordinator.
Pepino comes to Tusculum after two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of the South. With the Sewanee Tigers, he helped the team to its first-ever Southern Athletic Association Tournament win in 2025. He also served as recruiting coordinator and helped with travel, scouting, social media and player development.
"We are thrilled to have Coach Pepino join the Pioneer family. He comes with a highly competitive and ambitious work ethic and cares a lot about seeing players use their full abilities on and off the court," said Bradford. "Those who have worked with him have talked so highly of his commitment to the teams he has worked with so far in his career. Coach Pepino's connections in recruiting in Tennessee and up through the East Coast, will make him a great recruiting coordinator for the university. He connects well with players on a skill level, and I am so excited for him to meet the team."
Prior to Sewanee, Pepino spent one season at Illinois College where he helped the Blues vastly improve their team defense en route to their best conference finish since 1996-97.
"I am extremely excited to join Coach Bradford's staff and assist her in building up the Tusculum women's basketball program," Pepino added. "Coach Bradford has a very strong track record and I am honored to work alongside her as we enter a new era. I look forward to becoming a part of the Tusculum and Greeneville communities and cannot wait to see what the future holds."
The Oswego, Illinois native was a video coordinator as a student assistant for two seasons at SIU Edwardsville before finishing his degree at Eureka College where he was a student assistant for two years.
Pepino has coached AAU basketball in central Illinois and has been a camp lead for Breakthrough Basketball. He graduated from Eureka in 2023 with a Bachelor's degree in psychology.
