COURTESY OF GARDEN CITY ATHLETICS (4/8/2025)

GARDEN CITY, Kan. - Tommy DeSalme, the architect of one of the fastest-pace offenses in Junior College hoops, and the author of a national runner-up finish at Cowley in 2021 was named the new head men's basketball coach at Garden City Community College during a press conference on Tuesday (4/8/25) afternoon in the Hall of Fame Room at the Dennis Perryman Athletic Complex. 

"This is an incredible honor," DeSalme said. "But truth be told, this whole year has been a whirlwind. A year ago, I was the head coach at Hutch, and we were in the Elite 8. Then an opportunity came up for me to go back home to Bartlesville, OK. And all I can say is that I've learned so much over these past 12 months both as a coach and as an educator. What I learned is that I'm a Junior College guy."

Garden City is DeSalme's seventh coaching stop having previously served as the head boy's coach at Bartlesville High School in Oklahoma. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Hutchinson Community College where he guided the Blue Dragons to two National Tournament appearances, which included a trip to the 'Elite 8' in 2023-24. He posted a 75-28 (.728) record over three seasons. 

"Throughout this entire process, the one word that we kept repeating to the committee was stability," Director of Athletics, Mike Pilosof said. "We wanted a person who shared that premise and an identical ideology that lines up with the vision of our administration and this College."

DeSalme takes over for interim, Isaiah Tisdale, who will remain on staff as the Associate Head Coach for next season. 

"I got a chance to visit with both Coach Tisdale and Jack (Galazka), and I can't thank them enough for the job that they did this past season," DeSalme explained. "I talked to a lot of guys in this league, and they said you already have your guys right there, so I'm very excited that they're staying."

Before landing the job at Hutchinson, DeSalme spent 12 seasons as the head coach at Cowley, becoming the program's winningest coach with a record of 239-143. In 2021, DeSalme went away from the traditional half-court offense and transitioned into a high-octane brand of basketball, using a frenetic-style that emphasized 94 feet of ball pressure while utilizing a fast-pace, transition offense that led the region in scoring. They were second in the nation in points per game hitting the century mark 21 times including a school-record 143 points vs. Dodge City. 

"Coach DeSalme brings so many intangibles to our program," Vice President for Student Services and Athletics, Colin Lamb said. "His resume speaks for itself. He's won at the highest level at every stop he's been at, and we are very excited to have him get started."

The 2021 Tigers finished 24-5, tied for the Jayhawk East title, won the Region VI tournament for the first time in more than half a century and advanced all the way to the NJCAA National Championship Game where they lost to conference-rival Coffeyville. 

"I first met Coach DeSalme more than 10 years ago when I was working in radio," Pilosof stated. "My first impression was that this guy knows hoops. More than a decade later, I can say that I'm even more impressed with how he presents himself and his vision."

During an illustrious 12-year career at Cowley, DeSalme was named the league's Coach of the Year twice (2010, 2021). They won or tied for three Jayhawk East crowns (2010, 2020, 2021), played in two Region VI Tournament championship games (2012, 2021) and reached the regional semifinals five times (2011, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2021). 

"The Jayhawk Conference is the best league in America," DeSalme added. "We want to bring a fast-exciting brand of basketball to Garden City."

DeSalme's first stop in the Jayhawk Conference was at Independence Community College in 2008, where he compiled a 45-19 mark over two seasons. In his first year, the Pirates reached as high as No. 16 in the polls and finished second in the Jayhawk East with a 16-2 record. Antonio Henson was the 2008 conference's Most Valuable Player and a second-team NJCAA All-American. 

Prior to Independence, DeSalme spent one season as the head coach at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina where the Coyotes went 28-4 in 2007, won the KCAC regular-season and postseason championships, reached as high as No. 6 in the national rankings and put together a 19-game winning streak. Kansas Wesleyan earned a berth in the NAIA National Tournament and advanced to the second round. 

As for DeSalme's reputation as a program builder, look no further than the job he did in five seasons as the head coach at Sterling, where he took a team that was near the bottom of the conference standings and turned them into perennial contenders. He was 84-67 during his tenure, which included a 60-30 mark in conference play. The Warriors took second place four consecutive seasons and earned a berth in the NAIA Division II National Tournament two times over a three-year span (2004 and 2006). His 2004 squad won the conference tournament title, earning their first-ever trip to the big dance. 

The veteran coach began his career as an assistant at Southeastern Oklahoma State University where he was responsible for recruiting, eligibility, and academic progress. During his time there, the Savage Storm won a pair of conference titles and made two trips to the NAIA National Tournament finishing fifth in the final poll in 1997. 

DeSalme earned his Master of Education from Southeastern Oklahoma State in 1999. He played collegiately for the Savage Storm where he was a four-year letter winner and a two-year starter. 

The Bartlesville, OK native was an all-state, all-region, and all-district selection at Bartlesville High School leading the Bruins to state titles in 1989 and 1991.