September 15, 2011

Tennessee Tech athletics staff welcomes four graduate assistants

The Tennessee Tech athletics staff has welcomed four graduate assistants for the 2011-12 season in Don Hardcastle, Selena Roberts, Chuck Cushman and Amber Cockrill.

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.