TSC Athletics Ushers in a New Era with the Introduction of Athletic Director Brett Rutherford and Head Men's Basketball Coach Trent Short

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – July 9, 2026 -  It was an exciting day for Tallahassee State College Athletics as the department officially introduced two new leaders who will help shape the future of Eagle athletics. During an introductory press conference on Wednesday, July 8, TSC welcomed Brett Rutherford as Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation and Trent Short as the College's new Head Men's Basketball Coach.

The event marked the beginning of a new chapter for TSC Athletics, with both Rutherford and Short expressing their enthusiasm for the opportunity to lead and build upon the strong foundation already established at the College.

Short arrives at TSC after spending the past two seasons as Associate Head Coach at Chipola College under nationally recognized head coach Donnie Tyndall. Throughout his time in Marianna, Short played a key role in recruiting, player development, scouting, and helping maintain one of the nation's premier junior college basketball programs.

During his introductory remarks, Short credited Tyndall for preparing him for the opportunity to lead his own program.

"He really prepared me to be ready to step into these shoes and do this job," Short said. "You see kind of the standard Chipola carries themselves at, and why not bring that here?"

Short also took time to thank TSC Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Sheri Rowland for believing in his vision and expressed his gratitude to Tyndall for the mentorship that helped prepare him for this moment.

Rutherford was also officially introduced as TSC's new Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation. While new to the role, Rutherford is certainly no stranger to being an Eagle. He previously served as TSC's Assistant for Athletics Communications before departing for Wake Tech Community College—also home of the Eagles—where he spent the past two and a half years as Assistant Athletic Director for External Operations.

Dr. Sheri Rowland welcomed Rutherford back to campus, highlighting the impact he made during his previous tenure at TSC.

"Today's introduction is not a welcome, but a welcome back," said Dr. Rowland. "During his time here, he made a lasting impact through his work in communications and student-athlete support."

For Rutherford, the opportunity to return to TSC is one that carries special meaning.

"TSC is a very special place for me," Rutherford said during Wednesday's press conference. "I've been gone for a few years. Some things have changed. A lot has stayed the same, and I've remained an Eagle fan from afar through those years."

With the introductions of Rutherford and Short, TSC Athletics enters an exciting new era focused on continued success, student-athlete development, and building championship-caliber programs. Wednesday's press conference served as a celebration of the department's future and the beginning of what promises to be an exciting new chapter for Eagle Athletics.