The man leading the charge for the first season of Golden Eagle Men’s Basketball is Justin Tucek, a South Dakota native. As Georgia Southern University - East Georgia Campus officially tips off its inaugural hoops era, Tucek brings high-level collegiate experience, a lot of energy, and a proven culture pedigree.
To paint the picture of who Coach Tucek is, we need to dig into how he got to where he is now.
Question: What made you fall in love with basketball, and when did you know you wanted to coach?
Tucek: “When I was younger, my older brother sat me down one night when the University of North Carolina played Duke. He told me I must cheer for the Tar Heels, or ‘the team in the baby blue,’ and to never cheer for the dark blue team, Duke. From that day on, I loved the game of basketball. I knew I wanted to start coaching in eighth grade when I met my math teacher, who was also the head basketball coach at my high school. He told me that I’d be a great coach because I had great knowledge and a contagious personality. I ran with it and saved every play we put in from my eighth-grade season to my senior year. I originally wanted to be a high school history teacher and coach, but fortunately, I was able to break into the college basketball ranks at the age of 19.”
Question: What is your favorite basketball memory, either as a player or a coach, so far?
Tucek: “When I was an assistant coach at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, we made history by earning a bid to the 2022–23 NCAA Division II National Tournament and winning the program's first National Tournament game since it became an NCAA-affiliated school.”
Question: What’s your go-to pregame meal, and do you have any gameday superstitions?
Tucek: “Pregame always has to be a sandwich. I also try not to wear the same suit outfit more than once a year—I like mixing up my gameday attire.”
Question: What has stood out to you most about our campus and community since arriving?
Tucek: “Our campus is very beautiful, but the people are what really make up both Swainsboro and our East Georgia Campus.”
Question: What message do you have for the fans and students heading into this season?
Tucek: “We are super excited to enter year one in a new era of Golden Eagles Basketball. As your head coach, I want you all to come out and support our team. We will be out in the community and want to get to know you as much as you want to get to know us. I can’t promise we will win every game, but I promise you will see the toughest and most unified team on the court every night. With this recipe and the support from Golden Eagle Country, I think we can accomplish special things this season! Let’s pack out the Glasshouse every night! Our home opener is November 5th against ABAC with a 'White Out' theme! #LetItFly.”
Rapid-Fire Questions:
Favorite local food spot so far: “Stockyard.”
Bucket-list venue to coach in or visit: “TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts (home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins).”
Go-to shoes on the sideline: “Brown Cole Haans.”
One word your players would use to describe you: “Energetic.”
Coach Tucek is a loud, charismatic, and encouraging leader who gets the best out of his guys night in and night out. With him at the helm, we are excited to see where the Golden Eagles can go.
In just his first two weeks with student-athletes on campus, you can already sense the culture change Coach Tucek brings. There is an undeniable sense of respect from the players, fellow coaches, and staff members alike.
