“You can’t think about Rollins men’s basketball without Tom Klusman,” said Pennie Parker, Associate Vice President of Athletics.
After more than four decades as head coach of the men’s basketball team, Tom Klusman will take a medical leave of absence for the 2024-25 season, announced Rollins Sports on October 4.
Klusman joined Rollins basketball as a standout guard from 1972 to 1976, averaging 10.5 points per game, handing out 352 assists, and scoring 1,006 career points. In 1980, Klusman became the program’s youngest head coach at age 26.
“He has been the face of men’s basketball, having been here and played here for over 40 years,” said Parker.
Kyle Frakes, assistant men’s basketball coach, has worked with Klusman for over 36 years. “Tom and I have coached over 1,000 games together. I think there’s only five or six duos who have coached more games in NCAA history together,” he said. “His commitment to Rollins is part of the fabric of his life.”
According to Rollins Sports, Klusman’s career record is ranked among the best college coaches in basketball history. He is one of 10 Division II coaches all-time to eclipse 700 victories.
Since 2000, Klusman has led Rollins to seven Sunshine State Conference regular season championships, four SSC Tournament titles, and eight NCAA Division II postseason bids, advancing to the Elite Eight twice (2004 and 2017).
In 2023, the National Association of Basketball Coaches presented Klusman with the NABC Hillyard Golden Anniversary Award, in recognition of his more than 50 years of involvement with the game of basketball.
Achievements aside, Klusman is known for his dedication to supporting his players. “The care and compassion he has for the team, whether we win or lose, has been impactful for me. I’ve seen him at the highest of the highs and lowest of the lows, and he loves the guys the same no matter what,” Parker said.
Frakes reflected on Klusman’s approach to coaching. “One of the most tactical things that I have learned from Tom is that we’re committed to what we’re going to do,” he said. “Even if we’re struggling at certain points, if he and our staff have decided we are going to play a certain way, that’s how we’re going to play.”
During Klusman’s leave, the men’s basketball program will continue under familiar leadership. “At the moment, we are in capable hands. We have the interim head coach Kevin Hogan, who played for Tom and coached with Tom,” Parker said.
Hogan ranks 24th on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,295 career points and second in program history with 270 three-pointers. In his five seasons as a player, he was part of two Sunshine State Conference regular season championship teams and helped lead the Tars to victory in the 2006 SSC Tournament.
As the men’s basketball program carries on in Klusman’s absence, Parker offered a message to concerned members of the Rollins community and alumni. “Coach Klusman has taken the time to step away and continue to get better. We wish him all the best and hope to see him return,” she said.
“He’s an iconic figure,” Frakes said. “No matter what happens, his footprint and legacy will be here forever.”
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