Basketball (M)
Chad Lister
Head CoachAlma Mater: Furman, '95
E-mail: chad.lister@ngu.edu
Office Phone: 864-977-7155
Chad Lister will enter his 12th season at the helm of North Greenville’s men’s basketball program. The Crusaders qualified for the Conference Carolinas tournament in 2011-12 in its first season of conference membership. The Cruaders have won 50 games in the past three years, including the 2010-11 campaign that saw the Crusaders set the school record for wins as a four-year institution. The future of the program in Conference Carolinas looks bright. With only two starters returning, Lister will count on another solid recruiting class to make a move toward the top of the conference standings.
Lister began his coaching career in the high school ranks. Stops at three high schools in the state of South Carolina prepared him for the opportunity at the college level. While assisting Jeff Neely at Greer High School, the Jackets played for a state championship and won the region three times. At Strom Thurmond High School, Lister became the youngest head basketball coach in South Carolina and led the Rebels to its first playoff appearance in seven years. While at Eastside High School, the Eagles advanced to the AAA state playoffs and had the top ranked team in the state in 2000-01, finishing with a 21-6 record.
In the spring of 2002, Lister was given the opportunity to lead the NGU basketball program in its transition from the NAIA level to NCAA Division II. Lister's tenure at NGU can be characterized by steady improvement. Knowing the initial year would be a struggle and finishing 2-24, the Crusaders increased their win totals in Lister’s next four years. In 2006-07 the Crusaders posted a winning season for the first time since NGU made the move to a four year institution in 1992.
Lister understands how important recruiting is to the continued success of Crusader Basketball. Lister continues to bring in solid recruiting classes that are made up of young men who are capable of contributing right away to the team’s success.
"At North Greenville, we obviously want to be successful," says Lister, "but we will not do so by compromising the character of this program. There are young men out there who are great in the classroom, who have great character, and who play the game extremely well. Those three things describe a player who really will succeed in our program."
Academics have always been important to Lister. His players have averaged a 3.0 GPA during his tenure and has had four players selected as the NGU Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. Since joining Conference Carolinas, five players have been selected to the President’s Honor Roll and seven have been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court for academic excellence by student-athletes. The past two years have seen Kyler Booher complete his History degree with a perfect 4.0 GPA and Jason Wray become the first basketball player to be accepted to medical school.
Character, community service, and Christian outreach are of the utmost importance to the NGU basketball program under Lister’s guidance. Lister and his players consistently have been seen in the community with reading and tutoring at local schools, assistance with Greer Community Ministries, speaking at local churches and FCA groups, conducting basketball camps at local churches, and participating in NGU-sponsored and other mission trips around the world.
Lister is a native of Greer, South Carolina and a graduate of Greer High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Furman University in 1995. Lister has been married to the former Virginia Wilkes of Anderson, South Carolina, since 1998. Ginna currently serves as the Director of Christian Education at Easley Presbyterian Chruch in Easley, South Carolina. The Listers have two sons: Rett (11) and Cameron (8). Lister and his family resides in Easley.
THE LISTER TIMELINE
1995-2002: High School career record as a head coach of 74-55 (.574) with three trips to the
South Carolina AAA State Quarterfinals in five seasons as a head coach
2002-03: Hired as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at North Greenville University
Leads NGU basketball program in the transitional period from NAIA to NCAA Division II
2006-07: NGU’s first winning season as a four year institution.
16-13 record for Lister’s first recruiting class of seniors
Finished runner up in the NCAA National Independents Tournament in Fort Myers, FL
Team ranked 5th in country in NCAA Division II in Field Goal Percentage.
2009-10: Team ranked 10th in the country in NCAA Division II in Rebound Margin
2010-11: NGU sets school record for wins as a four year institution (22-7).
Lister collects 100th career win at NGU
Named NCAA Independents National Coach of the Year
Team ranked 3rd in country in NCAA Division II in Scoring Margin
Team ranked 5th in Assists, 7th in Scoring Offense, and 10th in Field Goal Percentage
2011-12: Leads NGU into first year as a member of a NCAA Division II conference
Qualifies for the Conference Carolinas tournament, one of 8 teams to participate.
Team ranked first in Conference Carolinas in Defensive Rebounds per game
Program reaches 50 wins in a three year stretch.
