Greg Tipps resigns from Loretto basketball to accept position at UT Southern
Harrison Campbell, Columbia Daily Herald
·
3 min read
After leadingLoretto boys basketballfor the past nine seasons, coach Greg Tipps has resigned to accept a position at the next level.
Tipps has been hired as the women's basketball coach at Tennessee Southern, the school announced on May 12. He closes his high school coaching career with two TSSAA basketball state championships atLorettoand 493 career victories across stops at Coffee County, Dickson County, Moore County, Stone Memorial and Loretto.
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"We've gotten fully engrained as a family here at Loretto," Tipps told The Daily Herald. "I've spent 16 of my last 19 years in coaching here at Loretto ... All my focus has really just been on Loretto and what we can do here to make it an elite program.
"But when this opportunity came up — and it's very close to home; not having to move my kids, my wife, all of that — it was really too much of an opportunity to say no to."
Loretto's Kylon Wilkerson (3) drives to the basket as Chattanooga Prep's Reid Conley (0) guards him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Grant Fisher (22) passes the ball during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Kylon Wilkerson (3) drives to the basket as Chattanooga Prep's Reid Conley (0) guards him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) drives to the basket as Chattanooga Prep's Kentrell Watkins (2) guards him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) goes up for a layup as Chattanooga Prep's Reid Conley (0) blocks him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) shoots the ball during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) passes the ball during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) goes for a layup as Chattanooga Prep's Joel Bulis (20) and Chattanooga Prep's Derrick Roberson (30) guard him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) brings the ball up the court during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) goes up for a layup as Chattanooga Prep's Derrick Roberson (30) blocks him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Chattanooga Prep's Derrick Roberson (30) and Reid Conley (0) smile as they walk off the court after scoring during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Jayden Aaron (23) drives to the basket as Chattanooga Prep's Marquis Gardner (11) guards him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) goes for a layup during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Loretto's Grant Fisher (22) goes for a layup during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Chattanooga Prep's Tavion Foster (5) guards Loretto's Casen Springer (11) as he drives to the basket during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
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See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Kylon Wilkerson (3) drives to the basket as Chattanooga Prep's Reid Conley (0) guards him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
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See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Kylon Wilkerson (3) drives to the basket as Chattanooga Prep's Reid Conley (0) guards him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
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See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Grant Fisher (22) passes the ball during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
3/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Kylon Wilkerson (3) drives to the basket as Chattanooga Prep's Reid Conley (0) guards him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
4/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) drives to the basket as Chattanooga Prep's Kentrell Watkins (2) guards him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
5/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) goes up for a layup as Chattanooga Prep's Reid Conley (0) blocks him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
6/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) shoots the ball during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
7/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) passes the ball during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
8/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) goes for a layup as Chattanooga Prep's Joel Bulis (20) and Chattanooga Prep's Derrick Roberson (30) guard him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
9/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) brings the ball up the court during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
10/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) goes up for a layup as Chattanooga Prep's Derrick Roberson (30) blocks him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
11/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Chattanooga Prep's Derrick Roberson (30) and Reid Conley (0) smile as they walk off the court after scoring during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
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See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Jayden Aaron (23) drives to the basket as Chattanooga Prep's Marquis Gardner (11) guards him during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
13/15
See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Mason Tidwell (13) goes for a layup during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
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See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Loretto's Grant Fisher (22) goes for a layup during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
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See Day 3 semifinal photos from 2026 TSSAA boys state basketball
Chattanooga Prep's Tavion Foster (5) guards Loretto's Casen Springer (11) as he drives to the basket during the Class 2A semifinal game in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on March 20, 2026.
Tipps, a Moore County alum, coached two stints at Loretto, leading the girls program from 2007-14, making two final four appearances, before later taking over the boys program in 2017. Tipps led Loretto boys to four state tournament appearances, claiming state titles in 2018 and 2025.
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The Mustangs most recent title in 2025capped off an unbeaten season, as Loretto became the first public school since Union City in 2008 to finish a campaign undefeated.
Tipps becomes the 11th head coach in the UT Southern's four-year history, looking to build upon a successful campaign in which the Firehawks finished No. 24 in the final NAIA women's basketball top 25 poll.
"What wins, wins in the boys game, girls game, women's game, men's game, middle school it doesn't matter," Tipps said. "If you can defend, if you rebound, if you take care of the ball, have good shot selection and you do that with good players, then you're going to win more than you're not."
Loretto head coach Greg Tipps yells to his players during the second quarter of a TSSAA Class 2A basketball state semifinal game against Tyner at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Friday, March 21, 2025.
Tipps' plans for UT Southern extend far beyond the court, with goals of involving the surrounding community in the program's search for continued NAIA success. Throughout his time at Loretto, community support became a key pillar in the program's success, a recipe Tipps hopes to replicate at the collegiate level.
"One thing we're going to try to be at UT Southern is be really present. Not just as women's basketball players and a women's basketball coach, but try to be present in the community," Tipps said. "We're going to do kid's camps. We're going to be at other teams' games. We're really going to try to impact Pulaski, Giles County, southern Middle Tennessee, north Alabama.
"We're really going to try to have more of an impact than just winning games. Obviously that's huge and that's important ... but we're really going to try and have a positive impact on the community and the school."
Have led Loretto on the winningest run in the program's history, going 206-63 at the helm, Tipps had no plans of leaving the Mustangs anytime soon. It was encouragement from his wife Paige, whose father Mike Rhodes is a former basketball standout at Vanderbilt, that ultimately pushed Tipps to embrace the new challenge.
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"She wanted me to challenge myself at the next level ... and she's been really encouraging to me," Tipps said. "Honestly if I didn't have that, I don't know that I would have taken this leap of faith, just because I'm so happy where I'm at, so she had a big impact on this decision."
Along with his two gold balls and nearly 500 wins, Tipps closes his high school career in Tennessee with 12 sectional appearances, nine TSSAA state tournament appearances and six berths into the state final four.
