Commissioners oversee the Individual Pathway of each College Basketball Academy by mentoring coaches and participants, leading player development, monitoring games, and making roster changes. 

Commissioners will lead the Academies in 2024, bringing a wide range of high-level coaching and playing experience to Rock Hill, SC. 

Men's Academy: Al Skinner and Gary Waters 

	Al Skinner Al Skinner, a former collegiate and professional basketball player, is widely recognized as a distinguished men's college basketball head coach. Having honed his playing skills at the University of Massachusetts, Skinner was later selected by the Boston Celtics in the 1974 NBA draft. He embarked on a noteworthy ABA/NBA journey, playing for teams such as the Nets, Pistons, and 76ers. Following his playing career, Skinner transitioned to coaching, significantly impacting the Boston College Eagles as their head coach. He was later an assistant coach at Bryant University before accepting the position of head coach at Kennesaw State University in 2015. Skinner's role as a commissioner at the 2019 NCAA College Basketball Academy highlights his dedication to the game, and although his tenure at Kennesaw State ended in 2019, his lasting influence and memorable impact on the basketball community persist.
	Gary Waters  Gary Waters is an accomplished college basketball coach with a B.S. in Business Administration, a B.S. in Business Education, and an M.A. in Educational Administration. He began his coaching journey as an assistant coach at Ferris State University and then Eastern Michigan University, later becoming associate head coach at EMU. In 1996, Waters was named head coach at Kent State University and later in 2001, head coach at Rutgers University. Waters was appointed as the 14th head basketball coach at Cleveland State University in 2006. He guided the team with unwavering dedication until his retirement in 2017. Presently, Waters contributes his expertise as a member of the committee for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and was a commissioner at the 2019 NCAA College Basketball Academy. His extensive knowledge and experience continue to shape the landscape of college basketball today.

Women's Academy: Bobbie Kelsey, Julie Plank, Lisa Stockton and Angela Taylor

 

	Bobbie Kelsey Before joining Milwaukee Public Schools, Bobbie Kelsey touched every part of the sports world as a player, coach, and women's basketball broadcaster. During her career of basketball playing, Kelsey's Stanford Cardinal squad captured the 1992 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. A two-time co-captain at Stanford, she played in 105 games - earning fifteen starts - despite bookending her college career with devastating ACL injuries. Kelsey earned Most Inspirational Player in 1992 and 1996 and captured the Most Improved Player award in 1993. Following her career at Stanford, Kelsey immediately launched her coaching career, and worked as an assistant women's basketball coach at Boise State University, Univ. of Florida, Univ. of Evansville, Western Carolina University, Virginia Tech Polytechnic University, and her alma mater Stanford University - before becoming Head Coach with the University of Wisconsin in 2011. Following her time at UW Madison, in 2016 Kelsey was appointed Vice President of Corporate and Wellness Programs for the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. After a short stint she returned to the hardwood as an assistant coach for the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks from 2017-2018 while spitting time as a studio analyst and color commentator for the Big Ten Network. Currently, as the Commissioner of Athletics and Academics for the Milwaukee Public School District she oversees all aspects of Interscholastic Athletics for 21 high schools, 600 youth sports teams, 30 Forensics, Debate and Chess teams as well as Internal and Stadium Permits for the district.
	Julie Plank Julie Plank has 27 years of basketball coaching experience. Throughout her time in the NCAA, as an Assistant Coach and Associate Head Coach, (at Stanford University, Vanderbilt University, and most recently The University of Florida), Plank has amassed a 364-115 coaching record. After spending 14 years at the NCAA Division 1 level, Plank became the Assistant Coach for the U.S. Women's National Team (1999-2000), leading up to the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Following her time with the U.S. Women's National Team, Plank made the move to the WNBA and served on the Indiana Fever's inaugural staff. Plank played a crucial role, as Assistant Coach and Director of Scouting over the course of her eight seasons in Indianapolis. After her time with the Fever, she joined the Minnesota Lynx where she served on the coaching staff for the 2008 season. Following a lengthy run as an assistant, Plank took over the head coaching duties for Washington Mystics in 2009. She achieved remarkable success in the nation's capital during her two seasons, helping steer the Mystics to two playoff appearances and an overall record of 38-30. She led the team to a 22-12 record in 2010 and a first-place finish in the Eastern Conference, for the first time in franchise history. In 2013, Plank joined the Atlanta Dream coaching staff, continuing her professional success. During Plank's time with The Dream the team advanced to the WNBA Finals, after finishing second in the Eastern Conference.
	Lisa Stockton Lisa Stockton, the all-time winningest women’s basketball coach in the state of Louisiana and newest inductee to the Conference USA Hall of Fame, will wrap up her third decade at the helm of the Green Wave’s women’s basketball program during the 2023-24 season. A 30-year veteran of the Division I head coaching ranks, Stockton is one of the most respected names in all of college basketball. The Greensboro, N.C. native was named one of the 25 most influential women in Louisiana sports history by The Advocate in 2022. In 2020, Silver Waves Media tabbed her as one of the 100 Most Impactful People nationally across the sport of women’s college basketball. To that end, Stockton was a member of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Issues Committee and was previously on its Academic Subcommittee. Dubbed one of CitiBusiness’s 2007 Women of the Year, she is currently on the NCAA regional ranking committee, has also had two stints on the Kodak All-American Committee, twice chaired the C-USA Women’s Basketball Coaches and served four terms as the WBCA Conference Captain.  A 2017 inductee to the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame, Stockton was named her league’s Coach of the Year three times and Louisiana’s Coach of the Year twice. She is also one of only two active coaches (Stanford’s Tara Vanderveer) to take one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 40 academic institutions to at least 11 NCAA Tournaments. Stockton is most proud of her student athletes’ collective accomplishments in the classroom, as every four-year player has completed their degrees under her leadership. In NOLA, Stockton has led Tulane to 21 postseason appearances, while averaging 20 wins a season. She has also helped the Olive and Blue secure five conference tournament titles and four regular season conference titles. While leading the Green Wave, Stockton has mentored six All-Americans and five WNBA draft picks.
	Angela Taylor  Angela Taylor is an entrepreneur, creative strategist, consultant, leadership coach, DEI practitioner, Podcast Host and Women's Basketball Game & Studio Analyst whose mission is to help leaders and organizations reach their full potential. Prior to the start of Taylor's career path, she played collegiate women's basketball at Stanford University where she helped guide the team to two NCAA national championships (1990 & 1992), three NCAA Final Fours (1990-92), and one Sweet Sixteen appearance (1993). After Taylor's collegiate career, she went on to be a women's basketball assistant at Stanford University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Arizona (1993-1994). Taylor was Senior Director at the WNBA League Office for 9 years (1997-2006). After her time as Senior Director, Taylor served as the Minnesota Lynx Vice-President of Business Operations with the Minnesota Lynx (2006-2008), Washington Mystics Vice-President and General Manager (2008-2010), Atlanta Dream President & General Manager (2014-2015). Taylor's entrepreneurial endeavors include multiple paths from being Partner & Co-Founder of The DIGNITAS Agency, LLC., launching Indulge Boise Food Tours in 2016, founder of Networks Sports Consulting (2009) and Tindall Avenue Coaching (2018), to co-founding the CHANCE Foundation. She launched, Unlocking the Club™, an award nominated podcast in 2022 and is a Women's Basketball Game & Studio Analyst for the Pac-12 Network.

 

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Academy Assistant Commissioners 

Assistant Commissioners will help oversee each Individual Pathway at the College Basketball Academy. Assistant commissioners will help lead the Academies in 2024, bringing a wide range of high-level coaching.

Men's Academy Assistant Commissioner

	Tavaras Hardy Tavaras Hardy, a veteran college basketball coach at the NCAA Division I level for the over 17 years, including the last six years as the head coach of the Loyola Maryland. A noted recruiter, Hardy served on coaching staffs in the Big Ten, Big East and Atlantic Coast Conferences over the 12 seasons prior to coming to Loyola.   As head coach of Loyola Maryland (2018-2024), he led the Greyhounds to the school's first every Patriot League Championship Game in 2021, falling to Colgate. Following the season, Santi Aldama became the first player in school history, and just the third from a Patriot League school, to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. The native of Spain's Canary Islands was selected with the No. 30 pick by the Memphis Grizzlies.   Prior to his six-year tenure at Loyola Maryland, Hardy spent the two years (2016-2018) as an assistant at Georgia Tech. During his first season on the Tech staff, the Ramblin’ Wreck reached the 2017 NIT Championship Game, losing to TCU. From 2014-2016, Hardy was an assistant coach at Georgetown University.    Hardy joined the Georgetown staff after spending seven seasons on the sidelines at his alma mater from 2007-14. He helped the Wildcats earn four-consecutive postseason bids and record consecutive 20-win seasons in 2009-10 and 2010-11, a first-time feat in Northwestern history. Hardy was Northwestern’s associate head coach his last two years.   Hardy was a head coach for the Illinois Defenders boys’ basketball program for three years before moving into the college ranks in 2007. Among the Defenders’ accomplishments, Hardy’s under-16 team won the 2005 Las Vegas Main Event Tournament with a 7-0 record. While he coached the Defenders, he worked in wealth management for JPMorgan Chase and Co.