Steve Shields, an assistant coach for Billy Gillispie at Tarleton State, is leaving to become the Parks and Recreation director for the city of North Little Rock.
Shields notified Gillispie of the decision on Wednesday afternoon.
Shields is currently an assistant coach for Tarleton State’s men’s basketball team in Stephenville, Texas. He joined the team earlier this year.
UALR parted ways with Shields in 2015 after the Trojans finished the season 13-18. It was the team’s second-consecutive losing season and its third in four seasons.
Shields was the school’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach with a 192-178 record over 12 seasons. That included six winning seasons and an unexpected run to a Sun Belt Tournament title in 2011 that advanced UALR to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in more than two decades.
Shields said he told Billy Gillispie, Tarleton State’s head coach, of his decision Wednesday afternoon and said he is excited to get to work helping the people of North Little Rock.
“I am excited to come back to North Little Rock. This will be a good thing for me and my family,” Shields said. “I love North Little Rock and I was fortunate to be a director of special projects a year ago for Mayor Joe Smith, and I appreciate Hartwick is giving me a chance to build on the great things he has done at the Parks and Recreation Department.”
Claim one free share of stock from Robinhood
