UPDATED TO INCLUDE INTERVIEW WITH CHAD
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Auburn University Head Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl announced last week that director of operations Chad Prewett and recruiting coordinator Mike Burgomaster have been promoted to assistant coaches.
According to a posting on Auburn Wire, Prewett and Burgomaster were two of four promotions within the Tigers basketball program. Video coordinator Ian Borders was promoted to director of scouting, and graduate assistant Maddux Jeffreys was tabbed to take Prewett’s place as director of operations.
Chad and wife Tonya, a former Escambia County High School cheerleader, are both Atmore natives. They have three daughters, Madison, Mallory and Mary Mykal. Chad’s mother, Glenda Prewett, and Tonya’s mother, Delores Peavy, both still live in Atmore.
Chad has been part of Pearl’s staff since 2014, when Pearl was hired at Auburn after six years at Tennessee. Since then, he has held a variety of support positions, including chief of staff, director of operations, interim assistant coach and special assistant to the head coach.
“I am delighted to be able to promote Chad to assistant coach,” Pearl said in a press release. “Chad has had a tremendous impact on our program, on and off the court. He is a great teacher of the game, with a great basketball mind.
“As chief of staff, much of his focus has been off the court with the Bruce Pearl Family Foundation, AUTLIVE and Bruce Pearl Fore the Children Golf Classic, making a huge difference in the Auburn community, our program and the university.”
Chad said he enjoyed those duties immensely and will try to keep a hand in them. He also is relishing the chance to play a more active role on the court.
“Some of the stuff we’ve done off the court means a whole lot to me, so I’m not going to let that go,” he said. “I love being able to help raise money for our AUTLIVE program, which is our fight against cancer, and I love being able to raise money for Children’s Harbor and what we do at Lake Martin. Those things mean a lot to me, and I’ll still be involved in them.
“As far as my primary duties, a lot of them will stay the same. I won’t be involved as much in the day-to-day operations, but I’ve been fortunate over my 10 years to basically hold every position but head coach. I’m excited about this one because it will give me a little more time with our guys on the court, helping develop them into better players. That’s probably what I’m looking forward to the most.”
Chad joined the AU staff following an impressive seven-year run as both the boys and girls basketball coach at Lee-Scott Academy, which is in Auburn.
His varsity boys basketball team went 139-31 under his tutelage and won the 2012 AISA State Championship, earned a state runner-up finish in 2011 and made the Final Four in 2009 and 2010. He led the school’s girls to four AISA state championships, as well as a runner-up finish in 2014 and two other Final Four appearances.
Prior to his tenure at Lee-Scott, Prewett coached the boys team at Faith Academy in Mobile to a 63-21 record that included the 2006 AISA state championship and recognition as AISA Coach of the Year that season.
He started his coaching career at Escambia Academy, where from 1995-2004 he coached the basketball, football, golf and track teams. He also served as athletic director from 1998-2004. EA was awarded the AISA Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Program in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
“I enjoyed my time, 19 years, as a high school coach,” he said. “My teams won 10 basketball state championships and 11 track state championships. Those were fun times for me to think back on, and I’ll forever cherish those moments.
“But I grew up an Auburn fan, dreamed of coaching at Auburn, and this will be Year 10, so it’s been a great ride. This was a dream job, and Tonya and I are both just excited to be here and to be part of the Auburn family.”
The new AU assistant said he and Tonya would always consider Atmore their home.
“I thank God for blessing me, for everything that he has given me and all he gave me the chance to do,” he said. “My family is everything to me, and I have been blessed with a beautiful wife I have shared this journey with. Atmore is home for us and will always be home for us. We’ve got so many friends that are still there that we stay in touch with, and I’ve gotten hundreds of texts from Atmore friends since I got promoted.”
Would he consider a head coaching job at another school if one were offered?
“Over the years I’ve had some opportunities (to go elsewhere),” he said. “But for some reason, God wants us here in Auburn, and we’ve been blessed to have this opportunity.”