New Jersey Institute of Technology Athletics

TJ Tibbs (full name Thomas Tibbs, Jr.) is in his first college off-court role after graduating in 2013 from the College of Staten Island, where he starred on a team that won back-to-back City University of New York Athletic Conference titles. CSI reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2011-12, his final playing season. He was All-CUNYAC first-team in both seasons at CSI, also earning All-Met first team from the Metropolitan Basketball Writers from a group of players that includes all the Division III schools in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, and Fairfield County, Connecticut.
 
Tibbs played a huge role in the win that propelled the CSI Dolphins into the NCAA Sweet 16, as he scored 40 points in a 77-67 victory over Rhode Island College. Tibbs made six 3-pointers and shot 14-14 at the foul line in that game.
 
Named NJIT's Director of Basketball Operations, a position that is typically an entry-level job for aspiring young coaches, Tibbs has plenty of pre-existing ties to the Highlanders
 
He is a graduate of St. Peter's Boys High School on Staten Island, a distinction he shares with his new boss, Jim Engles, as well as with former NJIT assistant coaches under Engles, Mike Spisto and Kevin Tirone.

Tibbs was also a high school teammate of Ryan Woods, who graduated from NJIT in 2013 after a two-season Highlanders career that saw him make All-Great West Conference after NJIT won the 2012-13 GWC regular season title. Woods averaged 14.4 points per game and made a school-record 84 3-point field goals in his senior season.
 
While still an undergraduate at CSI, Tibbs was an assistant coach at Curtis High School, a public school on Staten Island. Curtis is the high school alma mater of Isaiah Wilkerson (NJIT Class of 2012), the second-leading scorer in NJIT's Division I era and the 2011-12 Great West Player of the Year and honorable mention Associated Press All-America. As contemporaries on the Staten Island basketball scene, Tibbs and Wilkerson, who played professionally last year in the NBA Development League, are lifelong friends.
 
In addition to his coaching at Curtis High School, Tibbs coached U17 players in the Staten Island Stingrays and Staten Island Musketeers AAU programs.
 
He began his college playing career at Division I Monmouth in West Long Branch, NJ, as a preferred walk-on, where he participated in daily practices.
 
"I'm excited to have him as part of our program," said Engles of his new DBO. "He brings a lot of passion and energy to the job in his desire to become a college coach."