Tyson Waterman joined the UCF men’s basketball staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in July 2023 and enters his fourth season with the Knights in 2026-27 adding an additional title as defensive coordinator. He previously spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Wichita State.
As recruiting coordinator for the UCF Knights, Waterman continues to lead the charge in recruitment bringing in top scorers Keyshawn “Big Guard” Hall who led the Big 12 conference in scoring averaging 18.8 points per game and earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors in 2025 and Jaylin Sellers who was the third leading scorer in the Big 12 in 2024 averaging points 15.9 points per game and earned All-Big 12 Honorable mention. Along with Themus Fulks who led the squad in assists with 222 along with earning Big 12 Starting Five Honors three times. Fulks earned All-Big 12 Third Team Honors along with a spot on the All-Newcomer Team. Waterman works extensively with point guards and wings in player development and growth on and off the basketball court.
During his third year with the Knights, he assisted in leading UCF to its first NCAA appearance since the 2018-19 season. Themus Fulks was in the top 10 for assists per game under Waterman's coaching, averaging 6.7 assists per game. The Knights finished 21-12, securing 5 quad 1 wins.
In his second season at UCF, Waterman helped guide one of the Big 12’s most dynamic backcourts with Keyshawn Hall, Darius Johnson, who ranked fourth in scoring in the Big 12 averaging 17.4 in points per game and earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and Jordan Ivy-Curry who ranked 20th in scoring averaging 13.1 points per game. The Knights knocked off No. 13 Seed Texas A&M in the season opener with a 64-61 victory. The Knights also played in the Inaugural Crown Basketball Post-Season Tournament winning games against opponents, Oregon State, Conference Foe – Cincinnati, and Villanova, falling short in the championship game to Nebraska 77-66 for the title. UCF’s 2024-25 campaign came to an end with the Knights winning 20 games for the third time under Coach Dawkins and for the 10th time in program history.
Waterman’s impact was felt immediately in his first year with the Knights, which also marked UCF’s debut in the Big 12. The Black and Gold tallied seven conference victories—all against legacy league opponents—and collected three wins over ranked foes, the most in a single season in program history. The Knights defeated No. 3 Kansas, No. 23 Oklahoma, and No. 23 Texas Tech, holding each to under 65 points. UCF’s defense remained a strength, finishing top 22 nationally in blocks and steals per game and top 45 in turnovers forced. In their inaugural season, the UCF Knights earned a bid to the NIT post-season tournament as a No. 4 Seed. Ibrahima Diallo, Darius Johnson and Jaylin Sellers earned All-Big 12 Honorable mention.
At Wichita State, Waterman was promoted to recruiting coordinator in 2021 after serving as an assistant coach since 2018. He helped recruit Tyson Etienne, the 2019 American Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year, along with Ricky Council, IV, Dexter Dennis, and Alterique Gilbert who all earned AAC postseason honors during their careers at Wichita State. During his tenure, the Shockers captured the 2020-21 AAC regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, following an NIT semifinal run the previous year.
Before making the leap to Division I coaching, Waterman founded Believe Academy in Rock Hill, South Carolina, building the prep school into a national powerhouse from 2010–18 across two stints. He also spent the 2014-15 season as an assistant coach at Southeastern Louisiana under Jay Ladner.
Waterman’s work to mold skilled guards sees the following players from Wichita State currently in the NBA: Ricky Council, IV (Brooklyn), Tyson Etienne (Brooklyn), Dexter Dennis (Sacramento) and from Believe Academy, Jason Preston (LA Clippers).
As a player, Waterman starred at Winthrop from 1995-2000. He finished his career as the program’s fourth all-time leading scorer (1,461 points) and third in assists (459). A two-time First Team All-Big South selection, he also earned Big South Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman. His No. 41 jersey was retired in 2001, making him the first Eagle in the program’s Division I era to receive the honor. He is a two-time Winthrop Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee (in 2007 as an Individual player and in 2024 as a member of the 1998-99 Men’s Basketball Team).
A native of Hemingway, South Carolina, Waterman attended the Sanford School in Hockessin, Delaware, a nationally recognized prep program. His formative experience there later inspired him to establish Believe Academy.