College names new AD, basketball coach
SMC The Athletics Department here had a busy day on Tuesday when it announced the duo hiring of an interim athletic director and new head basketball coach.
Gregg Simmons, who has spent the past couple of years working for a nonprofit sports training institute in San Diego, was tapped to replace outgoing Athletic Director Rhonda Hyatt who left Santa Monica College last month to head the new Recreation Management program at College of the Canyons.
The college also named Jerome Jenkins, who spent eight years as the head men’s basketball coach at Sacramento State University, to replace former coach Jesse Teplitzky, who is now serving in the same capacity at Cerritos College.
Michael Tuitasi, the vice president of student affairs, said a nationwide search for a permanent director will soon commence.
“We’re extremely pleased to be able to bring these two men on our SMC team,” Tuitasi said.
While the position is temporary, Simmons said he sees it as a great opportunity toward fulfilling his dream of one day serving as a college athletic director full time.
He brings with him more than 15 years working in coaching and athletic management, most recently with the San Diego Sports Institute where he served as the executive director.
He also spent time as an athletics counselor and head coach in track and cross-country at San Diego City College, his stops also including L.A. Southwest College and San Diego State University.
“This is a spot I definitely want to be in,” Simmons said.
The 47-year-old AD said he has a wealth of knowledge in the bylaws and regulations of the NCAA and various college sporting organizations, which could be useful when it comes time for many of the student-athletes to think about transferring to a major program.
“Hopefully, all of that will help the athletes stay competitive not only on the field but also in the classroom at the same time,” he said of his background.
In his time at SMC, Simmons said he wants to establish a culture of academic success, ensuring that student athletes are all graduating, and working with coaches to create the most competitive program at the junior college level.
Jerome Jenkins will be making a return to his native hometown of Los Angeles after a 15-year absence. “Once I heard about the Santa Monica job I was very excited and went after the job very aggressively,” he said.
The third longest tenured coach in the basketball program’s 60-year-history, Jenkins guided Sacramento State to four straight appearances in the Big Sky Tournament from 2002-2006 after missing the postseason in the previous six seasons. He previously coached at Eastern Washington University and Diablo Valley Community College where the team captured three league titles during his time there.
He left Sacramento State after his contract was not renewed, a mutual understanding between the coach and athletic director.
Jenkins credits community colleges with saving his life.
“I was a pretty good ball player coming out of high school but my academics wasn’t under control and so the JC was a second chance,” he said. “It’s a place where you can really reach kids when they feel like they’re down in luck.”
He stresses that the program will be about academics first, proudly pointing out that he was able to graduate 15 players from Sacramento State during his eight years there. About 10 players went on to play professionally overseas.
Jenkins will inherit a program that went 17-15 last year, breaking a streak of four consecutive losing seasons.
“I want to build on that and take the program to a higher level,” he said. “I want this program to be known to (major) college coaches where they can come and recruit high level athletes and know they are academically taken care of.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 10, 2008. Read the original PDF.