Coaching Staff
Mark Rutledge
Assistant Coach
Mark Rutledge enters his third season as assistant men’s basketball coach at Henderson State in 2020-21.
Rutledge joined the staff at Henderson in 2018-19 after serving one season as the graduate assistant at Great American Conference rival Southern Arkansas in 2017-18.
Rutledge was instrumental for Henderson during the Reddies' GAC Tournament Championship season in 2019-20 and assisted head coach Jimmy Elgas in directing the team to a record of 23-8 and the program's first conference title since 2002-03.
During his first year with the Reddies in 2018-19, Rutledge was a part of a staff that helped guide Henderson to its best season in over a decade with a 19-11 record and the program's first GAC Tournament win since 2013.
A native of Tulsa, Okla., before his time at SAU, Rutledge was a student assistant at the University of Central Arkansas while he completed his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Health Education. Rutledge played his final two seasons on the hardwood for the Bears, and started 56 of 57 games from 2010 to 2012. Over his two-year career, he averaged 8.7 points per game and was a 43 percent shooter overall from the floor.
After finishing at UCA, Rutledge had a brief professional career with the Battle Creek Knights of the Independent Basketball Association, and an overseas stint with the Shoqata Tirana of the Albania Superliga.
Before arriving at UCA, Rutledge played junior college basketball at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and at Connors State College. At Connors, Rutledge averaged 13.1 points per game and was named Second-Team All-Region. Additionally, he helped lead the Cowboys to a Region 2 Championship and an appearance in the NJCAA National Tournament.
In his prep days, Rutledge was a standout player at Thomas Edison Preparatory School where he was named Tulsa World All-Metro three times and was named to the state all-tournament team as a senior. Rutledge was also selected to the Elite Eight by KTUL Channel 8.
Rutledge is the son of Mark and Fay Rutledge and the brother of Nia and Rodney Rutledge. He and his wife Monica have a son, Elijah.
Darius Tomlin
Assistant Coach
Darius Tomlin begins his second season as Henderson State's assistant coach for men's basketball in 2019-20.
Prior to joining the staff at Henderson for the 2018-19 campaign, Tomlin spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Southwest Tennessee Community College, where he helped guide the Saluqis to a 43-15 record in two years, the 2017-18 TCCAA Region 7 regular season title, a NJCAA Top-20 ranking in 2017-18 and the No. 7 preseason ranking in the NJCAA poll in 2016-17. During Tomlin's two seasons at Southwest Tennessee, 15 Saluqis went on to play at the next level and 12 earned NCAA Division I scholarships.
Prior to his coaching career, Tomlin played for Mississippi Valley State, Southwest Tennessee Community College and William Jewel College.
As a freshman at MVSU, Tomlin was a four-time SWAC Freshman of the Week selection before transferring to Southwest Tennessee for his sophomore year, where he led the Saluqis to a 24-4 record and a No. 11 national ranking during his one season in Memphis. Tomlin played the final two seasons of his career at Division II William Jewel College, where he averaged 17 points per game as a senior to earn All-Great Lakes Valley Conference recognition. Tomlin was the Cardinals leader in points, steals and free throw shooting percentage, and was named team MVP and Offensive Player of the Year.
Tomlin is originally from Jackson, Tennessee, where he starred as team captain and a 3A All-District selection for Northside High School. He received his bachelor's degree in Sports and Recreation from William Jewel in 2016 and is currently pursuing his master's degree in Sports Administration from Henderson State.
Jordan Vance
Graduate Assistant
Jordan Vance begins his second season as the graduate assistant for Henderson State's men's basketball team in 2019-20.
Vance was a four-year letterwinner for the Reddies from 2013 to 2017. After graduating from Henderson in May of 2017, Vance spent one season as an assistant coach at Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas.