Cy Alexander resigns as A&T men’s basketball coach

Cy Alexander, the men’s basketball coach for the A&T Aggies since 2012 resigned Friday, Jan 29.[/caption]North Carolina A&T men’s basketball coach Cy Alexander has resigned his position effective immediately. Associate head coach Jay Joyner will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season, Director of Athletics Earl M. Hilton III announced on Friday, Jan. 29.

Joyner made his Division I head coaching debut last Saturday when the Aggies faced Savannah, at Corbett Sports Center. Alexander will eventually be reassigned to another position associated with development, branding and broadcasting within N.C. A&T’s Department of Athletics. Alexander joined men’s basketball play-by-play announcer Spencer Turkin on the radio broadcast of Saturday’s game airing on WCOG 104.9 FM/1230 AM.

“I have decided to step away from actively coaching to pursue other interest within athletics,” said Alexander, who began coaching at A&T in 2012. I look forward to pursuing those interests here at North Carolina A&T State University. I have a strong love for broadcasting, and I think being able to sharpen my skills on the Aggie basketball broadcasts will assist me in pursuing broadcasting as my next career. My decision to step down was a difficult one, but the last three years of my life have been tumultuous with the passing of my wife and mother. Therefore, I believe this decision was in the best interest of me and my family.”

Alexander steps away with a career record of 386-386 over 26 seasons of coaching. He was 43-80 in four seasons as the Aggies head man. Over the first 22 games of the 2015-16, the Aggies are 5-17 overall and 2-6 in the MEAC.

In Alexander’s first season as head coach, N.C. A&T won the 2013 MEAC tournament title and made its first NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament appearance in 18 years. The Aggies went on to beat Liberty University 73-72 in the first round of games in Dayton, Ohio to secure the school’s first-ever NCAA tournament win. Eventual national champion Louisville defeated the Aggies in the second round to end N.C. A&T’s season at 20-17. It was the Aggies first 20-win season in 25 years.

Alexander also made coaching stops at Tennessee State (2003-09) and S.C. State (1987-03). As S.C. State head coach he won five MEAC tournament titles. His career also includes six 20-win seasons and 31 MEAC tournament wins, second all-time behind former Coppin State coach Ron “Fang” Mitchell. His six MEAC titles are second to only former N.C. A&T head coach Don Corbett who had seven.

Interim A&T coach Jay Joyner played for Alexander at S.C. State from 1993-96. Before joining Alexander at N.C. A&T as his associate head coach in 2012, Joyner spent three seasons as the head men’s basketball coach at Columbia State Community College (Tenn.). He led the Chargers to a 61-23 record and two Tennessee Community College Athletic Association regular-season titles.