HOUSTON –
Steven Key, the longest-tenured assistant men's basketball coach in the country, is leaving the coaching ranks after 29 years with
Ron Cottrell, HCU James Sears Bryant Head Men's Basketball Coach, to move back into the ranks of sports information as the Director of Media Relations at HCU, his alma mater.
"Where do I begin to put into words how much Coach Key means to our program and to me personally? Savvy (Key) has been with me since my first season at HBU/HCU," said Cotrell. "He started as a manager, then became a student assistant, and then my assistant coach. During that time, he also served as Jacque's assistant in media relations. He now returns to that arena full time. While I am happy that he will be able to spend more time with Sherry and Eiley, it is hard knowing that he will not be directly by my side as my assistant coach. At least we will still have him with our program, just in a different role. He, Sherry and Eiley will always be our family. We've celebrated births and good times, mourned deaths and sad times, and we will continue to have that familial bond. I can't thank him enough for everything he's done through the years. The impact he's had, and continues to have, on all the players who've come through our program is everlasting. There's no way to measure the countless lives he's affected. I love him like a brother and am forever grateful for his dedication to our program, our players and our university."
Key came to the HCU campus in 1991 and quickly joined the men's basketball program as a manager. He then moved into a student assistant role before moving into an assistant coach role for 29 seasons. In addition to his coaching duties, Key worked in the sports information department for 10 years and played an integral role, along with his wife, Sherry, in creating the school's first athletic department website in 1997.
In 29 seasons as an assistant coach, Key was part of nine conference championship seasons, 10 trips to the NAIA National Tournament and was part of a 60-game home winning streak that was the longest such streak in the nation at the time.
As Director of Media Relations, Key will be responsible for all media relations efforts for the HCU men's soccer, men's basketball and softball programs while also assisting with football.
