On Thursday, April 22, 2010, Gardner-Webb University named Chris Holtmann as the new Head Coach of the men’s basketball program, following a thorough national search that included more than 150 highly qualified applicants. Holtmann, the fifth coach in the 40-year senior college history of Gardner-Webb, is no stranger to the men’s basketball program. From 2003 to 2008, he served first as Assistant Coach and later as Associate Head Coach. Holtmann returns to Gardner-Webb from Ohio University where he was the lead Assistant with the Bobcats for the past two seasons. Holtmann is an excellent tactician and a relentless recruiter who has been a part of five conference championships during the past ten seasons. He is sure to lead the Runnin’ Bulldogs in a special basketball program, one that is sure to produce not only excellent players, but quality students and successful individuals as well.
During a press conference earlier today, Holtmann shared, “This has been a tremendously humbling, yet thrilling experience, and I am honored to earn the title of head basketball coach here at Gardner-Webb University. Obviously I am thankful to Dr. Bonner and Mr. Burch for this opportunity at a place I truly love, a very special place for my family and I. The rich tradition of this basketball program is very important to this school and the community as a whole. Building on that tradition, and doing so in a manner that represents what this University stands for is a tremendously important task. The student body, faculty, staff and fans deserve a program they can be proud of, a program that can be a rallying point across the board. To be chosen as the man to lead this program in that direction is truly exciting.”
Holtmann was a star basketball player for Jessamine County High School in Kentucky and later at Taylor University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 1994. As a student athlete at Taylor, Holtamann was an NAIA All-America selection and led the team to a 29-5 record, a Number 1 national ranking, and a spot in the NAIA National Tournament. In 2000, he obtained a Master’s degree in Athletic Administration from Ball State .
Holtmann began his coaching career as a Graduate Assistant at Taylor University during the 1997-1998 season. His first full-time assistant coaching position came during the 1998-1999 season at Geneva College. Holtmann returned to his alma mater, Taylor University, from 1999 to 2003, during which time, he helped lead the Trojans to consecutive conference titles and won 25 games in his final two season with respective national rankings of eight and thirteen in the NAIA polls. During his first court assignment at Gardner-Webb, Holtmann guided the Runnin’ Bulldogs to a strong defensive end, leading the Atlantic Sun Conference in three-point field goal defense in 2007-2008 and ranking second in overall field goal defense in 2007-2008 and 2004-2005. Among many accomplishments at the Webb, he was a key figure in the historic Kentucky upset. At Ohio, he helped lead the Bobcats to win the 2010 Mid-American Conference Tournament in March and to an upset of No. 3 seed Georgetown in the opening round of this year’s NCAA Tournament becoming their first win in a NCAA Tournament since 1983.
He and his wife, Lori, are expecting their first child in May.
