Scott Combs - Men's Basketball Coach - Ball State University Athletics

Scott Combs

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
scott.combs@bsu.edu

Scott Combs joined the staff at Ball State in June of 2025, and brings over 25 years of coaching and administrative experience to Muncie. A master networker known for winning, Combs holds a head coaching record of 124-65 (.656). Combined as a player/coach, Combs has been a part of 15 postseason tournaments, has 10 championship rings, and is one of a select few who has played and coached in both the NCAA and NIT tournaments. Combs comes to Muncie after a season at James Madison when the Dukes claimed a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular season title with a 13-5 SBC record. Prior to that, Combs had extended stints at Morehead State, Martin Methodist College and Austin Peay.

Combs is linked to 2025 Sporting News National Player of the Year Johni Broome, who was recruited by the Morehead State staff and played for the Eagles for two seasons before making his way to Auburn. Combs has been on the forefront of recruiting NAIA student-athletes out of the transfer portal (Alex Gross - MSU ’23, OVC Defensive Player of the Year, Sibiu Romania) and Riley Minix - (MSU ’24, OVC Player of the Year, San Antonio Spurs) and has been instrumental in recruiting multiple All-Conference performers, including OVC Player of the Year and current Duke, Mark Freeman. Combs also has international experience playing in Australia (Brisbane and Cairns) and coaching in the 2016 United World Games, in Klagenfurt, Austria, leading Team USA 19U to a bronze medal.

Combs worked alongside Preston Spradlin at Morehead State and James Madison for the past seven seasons, helping guide the Eagles and Dukes to 140 wins and four championships in that time. Included in that stint is a win over Clemson in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) 2022-23, and two NCAA appearances (2020-21, 2023-24). During that stretch, MSU posted 22 or more wins, going 94-40 overall and 58-16 in league games in the OVC. The 94 wins represent the best four-year mark in program history and first time hitting 20 wins in four straight seasons.

Prior to MSU, Combs served as the head coach at Martin Methodist College (now Tennessee Southern or UTS) from 2012-18, where he led the RedHawks to a 124-65 record, a 30-win season, a win over MTSU, and three appearances in the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. Combs guided the RedHawks to a 21-11 overall record and a near perfect 9-1 mark in the last year of the TranSouth Athletic Conference in his first season at MMC in 2012-13, earning Coach of the Year honors.

Combs also guided the RedHawks to the NAIA National Tournament, where his squad advanced to the round of 16. The RedHawks closed the season with a 12-game winning streak in the regular season. In 2014-15 the RedHawks won 30 games for just the second time in school history, winning the Southern States Conference Tournament and advancing to the NAIA National Tournament final eight. The team finished No. 7 in the national poll and featured two All-Americans, three all-conference performers. MMC finished in the top 10 in the NAIA in eight statistical categories. For his efforts, Combs was on a short list for the Tennessee Sportswriters Association's Coach of the Year Award.

In addition to himself, several NCAA Division I coaches filled the ballot for the prestigious award, including Memphis' Josh Pastner, Belmont's Rick Byrd and Middle Tennessee State's Kermit Davis. During Combs’ tenure at Martin Methodist, Combs led Team USA 19U to a Silver Medal at The United World Games, in Klagenfurt, Austria, in the summer of 2016.

Prior to MMC, Combs spent 13 years (1999-2012) working alongside Dave Loos (OVC all-time wins leader, 502 wins) at his alma mater, Austin Peay. During his time assisting the Hall of Famer Loos, Combs helped lead the Govs to 20-plus win seasons six times and back-to-back OVC championships on two occasions.

The 2002-03 and 2007-08 teams advanced to the NCAA tournament while the 2003-04 club finished with a perfect 16-0 league mark and won a game in the NIT. He was also a part of wins over Tennessee and Memphis. During his time at APSU, Combs accumulated five OVC Championship rings and helped the Govs qualify for a postseason event seven times.

Combs spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Missouri (1994-96) where he helped lead the Tigers, coached by Hall of Famer Norm Stewart (731 wins), to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers defeated Indiana, 65-60, in the 1^st round, but fell to defeat on a last second shot by Tyus Edney, and eventual tournament champion UCLA. During Combs’ time as a Tiger, he tallied 12 points on 3-of-3 from behind the arc at Kansas and was named the Phillips 66 Player of the Game vs. Colorado. For his efforts, he was a Honorable mention Big Eight All-Academic selection in 1996.

Combs played his final two seasons at Austin Peay (1997-99). At APSU, Combs posted a 4.0 grade-point average and earned CoSIDA District IV Academic All-District while averaging nearly 10 points and six rebounds per outing as a senior. He served as President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and graduated with his bachelor's degrees in mathematics and education. He earned his Master's in Sport Administration from Austin Peay.

Combs prepped at both Lebanon High School and Paoli High School (’94) in Indiana, where his dad Vic, was Principal, his mother Virginia (Maze), a classroom teacher, and his two younger sisters Abby (’96) & Katie (’97), attended. While at PHS, Combs played alongside future college teammate Joe Sibbitt (2nd all-time, OVC 3-pt makes/attempts), and was coached by future Indiana Basketball Hall of Famer, Mike Brown (500 wins). Combs, an ARMY ROTC High School All-American, Nike All-American Camp Top 100 participant, and Top 100 recruit, finished his prep career with 1,958 points, ranking him 31st all time in the state of Indiana at the time. He was selected to play on the prestigious Indiana All-Star team in 1994, leading all scorers during the 2-game series versus Kentucky. His AAU career resulted in him being named Junior Olympics All-American six times, and in 2019, he was selected to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary Team.

Scott and his wife Ashley, from Athens, PA (Pitt ’05/Xavier ‘08) have two children - daughter Chandler Kate (15) and son Lou Victor (2). Ashley’s work stops include Austin Peay (Director of Athletic Academic Services/Assistant Athletic Director), UNLV (Student-Athlete Academic Advising – men’s basketball & swimming), Martin Methodist (Director of Student-Athlete Enhancement), and Morehead State (Transfer Coordinator). Chandler, a National Honor Society member, is a part of leadership Clarksville, plays volleyball for Clarksville Academy as well as C-Force volleyball club, and is involved with YoungLife.

The Combs’ enjoy spending time with family and friends, Memorial Day “adventure trips”, pickle ball, card/board games, lake days, music concerts, playing the piano and triathlons.

Scott Combs Coaching File: