Chrys Cornelius will begin his third season as an assistant coach on the Lindenwood men’s basketball staff in 2021-22.
The 2020-21 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lions went 10-10 on the season, including a 10-9 mark in the GLVC. After playing all conference games during the regular season, the Lions finished fifth in the GLVC. Lindenwood led the league with an average of 81.9 points per game, with the help of a conference-leading free throw percentage of 80.1. The Lions played tight defense on the ball, registering 7.05 steals per game with a turnover margin of +2.55, which was second-best in the GLVC.
The Lions were led by TJ Crockett who led the GLVC by more than eight points per game with is 27.5 average per contest. Crockett was named a D2CCA All-American as he was one of the nation’s leading scorers across all levels of collegiate basketball. Crockett was recognized as an NABC all-district performer, as he was third in the nation with his 550 points at the time he received the award. Crockett was a unanimous first-team All-GLVC selection, as he added four GLVC Player of the Week honors during the year.
The Lions clawed their way through the end of the season, as the team battled through injuries. Lindenwood earned an upset win over No. 25 Missouri-St. Louis early in the season. The Lions won four of their final six regular season games, three of which were games won in overtime. The three overtime victories set a program record for most in a single season.
In 2019-20 season, Cornelius helped coach Lindenwood to a high scoring up-tempo offense, as the team was ranked second in the GLVC in points per game while putting up 81.2ppg. Lindenwood was also one of the better teams in the league limiting turnovers which finished fourth in the GLVC with a 2.54 turnover margin. The Lions closed out the season winning 3 out of their last 4 games at home with wins over Rockhurst, Lewis, and Illinois-Springfield.
Prior to his arrival at Lindenwood, Cornelius served as the head post-graduate coach at Victory Rock Prep in Bradenton, Florida. Under the direction of Cornelius, the Victory Rock Prep team finished 18-9 overall record and a 7-1 mark from within the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association (SIAA), which is regarded as the toughest post-graduate conference in the nation. Victory Rock captured the SIAA regular-season title during the 2018-19 season.
Cornelius’ team at Victory Rock Prep rostered four players that went on to sign NCAA Division I scholarships; John Dos Anjos (Loyola Marymount), Kolton Mitchell (UMass), Bakari Simmons (Texas A&M), and Cameron Shaw (Morgan State).
Prior to his arrival at Victory Rock Prep, Cornelius served as an assistant coach at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. for the 2017-18 season. During his time at Southern University, Cornelius mentored first-team All-SWAC forward Jared Sam. Cornelius also helped lead the Jaguars to a 15-win season, a 10-8 SWAC record, an 11-3 home record, and a trip to the semifinals of the 2018 SWAC Conference Tournament. Cornelius was also the defensive coordinator for the Jaguars in 2017-18, a season in which they were the top-ranked defensive team in the SWAC, holding opposing teams to a 39 percent field-goal percentage.
Prior to his arrival at Southern University, Cornelius had a two-year stint at Bethune-Cookman University (2015-17). Cornelius assisted head coach Gravelle Craig, helping to guide the Wildcats to a 16-16 MEAC record, a 16-8 home record, and a third-place finish in the 2015-16 conference standings.
While at Bethune-Cookman, Cornelius helped coach, recruit and develop four All-MEAC players, Mario Moody, LaRon Smith, Jordan Potts, and Brandon Tabb. In addition, Tabb was recognized as the MEAC Player of the Year, Smith as the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, and Quinton Forrest was selected to the MEAC all-rookie team.
Off the court, Cornelius mentored eight student-athletes who went on to receive their degrees from Bethune-Cookman and was instrumental in the program earning the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award following the 2015-16 season. Bethune-Cookman was one of just 29 NCAA Division I basketball programs in the country to receive the award, which is given to teams that hold a team GPA of 3.0 or above.
Prior to his arrival at Bethune-Cookman, Cornelius spent five seasons at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (2010-15), where he helped lead the Phoenix to a 95-65 record over those five seasons, including a 48-17 record in his final two years. While at Wisconsin-Green Bay, Cornelius helped coach the team in victories over nationally ranked Marquette, Virginia, and Miami.
During his time at Wisconsin-Green Bay, Cornelius helped coach the team to a Horizon League regular season title in 2014 and three postseason appearances (two NIT's and one CIT). Cornelius recruited two-time Horizon League Player of the Year Keifer Sykes, and was the lead recruiter that was instrumental in the Phoenix landing Alfonzo McKinnie (Cleveland Cavs), Steven Baker, and Khalil Small. Cornelius also coached and helped develop second-team all-horizon league forward Greg Mays and three-time all-horizon league center Alec Brown, who was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns.
Along with on-court coaching and recruiting duties, Cornelius handled some of the programs scouting responsibilities. He was also in charge of scheduling.
In January 2015, Cornelius was ranked the top assistant coach in the Horizon League by Next Up Recruits.
All told in his Division I career, Cornelius has coached eight 1,000-point scorers and 13 all conference performers.
Prior to his arrival at Green Bay, Cornelius spent three seasons (2007-10) as an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois under former head coach Mike Miller who was the Interim Head Coach for the New York Knicks this past season.
Cornelius helped coach the Panthers to 19 victories in his final season (2009-10), the programs third highest win total since joining Division 1 in 1981-82. The 19-12 record marked the school’s first winning season since 2000-01.
In his three year stint at Eastern Illinois, he coached two all-conference players – Tyler Laser (First Team OVC) and Romain Martin (Second Team OVC). He also recruited TJ Marion (West Aurora/Southeastern Illinois JC), who was selected to the All-Newcomer Team in 2008-09. Cornelius also recruited Curry McKinnie (LA Trade Tech JC) and Dwayne Wright (Highland JC, Kansas).
Prior to his arrival at Eastern Illinois, Cornelius spent four seasons at Florida A&M University (2004-07), where he helped coach Florida A&M to two of its three NCAA appearances (2004 and 2007) and its first NCAA Tournament victory with a 72-57 win over Lehigh in 2004 under head coach Mike Gillespie, Sr. Cornelius also helped coach Florida A&M to a 42-30 MEAC record over his four seasons with the Rattlers and helped coach the Rattlers to a 21-12 record in his final season which was one of the highest win totals in school history.
While at Florida A&M (2003-07), Cornelius helped develop the Hall of Fame guard Terrance Woods who lead the country in 3 point field goals made in consecutive seasons, with 139 makes in 2003 and 140 in 2004. Woods won the 2004 3-point shootout at the 2004 NCAA Final Four.
Cornelius also coached and helped develop First Team all-conference guard Tony Tate, 1st Team all-conference center Rome Sanders, and 2007 MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player Brian Greene. He helped the Rattlers land Darius Glover (Chicago Westinghouse), LC Robinson (Highland, Ill. JC), Rome Sanders (Chicago Curie), Lamar Twitty (Ft. Lauderdale Boyd Anderson) and Joe Ballard (Chicago Westinghouse), all part of the 2007 NCAA Tournament team. Cornelius served as the team's offensive coordinator.
Cornelius had two different coaching stints at his alma mater Western Illinois University under head coach Jim Kerwin. His first stint was from 1996-98 where he helped the Leathernecks to a 35-21 record. Cornelius also helped coach the Leathernecks to the Mid-Continent Championship game in the 1996-97 season. His second stint at WIU was in 2000-2003. In the 2001-02 season, Cornelius help recruit a class that helped the Leathernecks have the nation’s seventh largest turnaround in wins.
Cornelius also made a pair of Junior College stops. Cornelius began his coaching career at Joliet Junior College in 1995 under head coach Mike Martin and Jacksonville Baptist College JC under head coach Pat Smith. Cornelius helped produce eight players secure Division 1 scholarships during his time as a Junior College coach. Richard Terry (Kansas State), DeAnthony Bowden (Creighton), Derrick Stevens (Colorado State), Larry Ferguson (Evansville), Melvin Dews (Stephen F. Austin), Joey Chism (Western Illinois), Chris Drew (Southern Illinois), and Dimitri Khorokorin (McNeese State).
A native of Joliet, Illinois, Cornelius attended Joliet Catholic Academy and earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Western Illinois in 1995. He is a life long member of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Joliet, Illinois.
Cornelius is married to his wife Jennifer, and they have two sons, Chrystopher (16) and Nicholas (11).
