BY CHARLIE NICHOLS | Ball State Sports Link
The Ball State’s women’s basketball team has its newest addition to the roster — assistant coach Roman Tubner.
Ball State head coach Brady Sallee revealed the news Aug. 27 expressing how excited he is to welcome Tubner to Muncie.
“I am beyond excited to have Roman Tubner join our staff,” Sallee said. “From the moment this position opened, Roman was on my radar.
For years, I have always paid attention to the assistants I see on the road hustling and he was someone I took notice of early and often. Throughout this process Coach Tubner showed time and time again that he wanted to be a part of our program.”
Tubner joins the Cardinals staff after spending the 2019-20 campaign as an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).
“I’m excited about it because of the opportunity,” Tubner said on Sports Link’s podcast, The Surge. “To watch BSU’s growth over the past couple of seasons, and to see what I might be able to bring to the table to help the team move forward is exciting.”
Basketball in the state of Indiana is no stranger to Tubner. He spent the 2018-19 season as the assistant coach for Indiana State University’s women’s basketball team.
His wife, Kendra, was a former Indiana Pacemate and worked in Indianapolis.
In his single season at Indiana State, the Sycamores averaged 62.3 points per game which also happened to be the team’s highest scoring output in five years. With great mentorship and coaching, Tubner was placed on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) 30 under 30 list.
“We’re excited to get back to the area,” Tubner said. “The number of people at the university who have reached out from a number of departments, not just athletics, has been great so far.”
With a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Tubner has been able to incorporate the importance of mental health into his fresh relationship with his new team. An aspect never more apparent especially during these times.
“Mental health is a big deal,” Tubner said. “And maintaining one-on-one relationships with the student athletes to where they feel they can always come and talk to you. That you’re always somebody they can lean on during this time and just making sure they have everything that they need. Basketball comes second.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions, Tubner has spent the first three weeks developing relationships with the Cardinals through weekly Zoom calls.
“As a new staff member, I have contacted every single player on the team personally,” Tubner said. “Just maintaining that relationship and that balance. We’re also making sure their health and safety is put first.”
Seeing similarities in himself and the staff, Tubner has officially set foot on campus to continue building the culture Ball State has already established under Sallee.
“My recruiting style, honestly, is all out,” Tubner said. “Whatever fits our program or whatever need that particular year, in that particular position. But, we want players who work hard on and off the court. Players who fit what we want academically and as a person.”
A 2011 graduate of Centenary College where he was a two-year starter and team captain, Tubner began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Arkansas at Monticello before being promoted to assistant coach. He helped UAM to a 21-win campaign in 2011-12 and helped mentor three NCAA Division II All-American selections.
