Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Bush named head coach of Pearl River women’s basketball squad

     POPLARVILLE — Toby Bush has been named the new head women’s basketball coach at Pearl River Community College, replacing Ed Walley who recently resigned the post after leading the Lady Wildcat program for the past eight seasons.
      Bush’s hiring was officially approved at the PRCC Board of Directors’ May meeting Tuesday.
      Bush, the head coach at Neosho County CC (Kan.) this past season, is no stranger to the Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges, as the 33-year-old played at Northwest Mississippi CC under former head coach Mark Dukes the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons and served as an assistant coach at East Central CC.
      Bush was born in Laurel, but raised in Memphis where he graduated from Bartlett High School in 1993 and went on to earn his bachelor of science degree in physical education in 1999 and his master’s degree in sports and leisure commerce in 2006 from the University of Memphis following his two-year Juco stint at Northwest.
      “I’m very excited about the opportunity presented to me at Pearl River,” Bush said. “Coach Walley did a great job during his eight years there and I want to pick up where he left off.
      “My main focus is to make sure that our players understand that they’re student-athletes and maintain discipline on and off the court,” he continued. “My goal is to win titles and make it back to the national tournament.”
      Walley’s 2002-2003 team won the Region 23 title and a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament in Salina, Kan.
      PRCC athletic director Richard Mathis said the Lady Wildcat squad is fortunate to get Bush.
      “We’re fortunate to get a young coach of his caliber and experience,” Mathis said. “Coach Bush has Mississippi connections, MACJC connections, and has been a head coach at the junior college level, not to mention coaching and recruiting experience at the Division I level.
      “He was very impressive during his interview and was the unanimous choice by our seven-member search committee. I’m looking forward to Coach Bush coming on board.”
      Bush served as head student manager for the UM Tiger squad from 1995 until 2001, then served as assistant women’s coach and recruiting coordinator at ECCC in Decatur the 2001-2002 season. From there, he moved on to Mercer University in Macon, Ga., as assistant women’s coach from 2002 until 2007 before taking over the head coaching reins at Neosho County in the touted Jayhawk Conference.