Coaching Staff

Head Coach
Ralph Turner

Turner, a 1979 graduate of David Lipscomb University, enters his seventh season as head coach of the Bulldogs. Coach Turner is coming off a season in which he led the Bulldogs to their third consecutive NAIA National Tournament. 

Turner has compiled a 142-65 career coaching record while leading the Bulldogs and earned TranSouth Coach of the Year honors in both 1998 and 1999. During his seven-year campaign with the Bulldogs, Turner has led Union to top national rankings, two conference regular season titles, two conference tournament titles, and three berths into the NAIA I National Championships.

 Turner began his coaching career at the junior high and high school level in Georgia and Tennessee before moving to the collegiate level at Oklahoma Christian. Returning to his alma mater, Turner served as an assistant coach at Lipscomb for nine years before accepting the head coaching position at Union.

Turner takes his knowledge of basketball to the national level by serving on the NAIA Championship Tournament Committee which organizes the men's national basketball tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During the 1998-99 season, Turner served as President of the Men's NAIA Basketball Coaches Association and served as a court coach for the United States basketball team at the Pan American and Goodwill Games.

Under the guidance of Turner, summer basketball camps have continued to grow. Through Turner's hard work and dedication, Union has seen over 1,500 boys and girls participate in each of  the 1999 and 2000 summer camp sessions.

Turner's goal for the men's basketball program is more than concentrating on the score of a game. His desire is to not only see the best Bulldog team Union has ever had, but for those individuals to be the best people Union has ever had as well.

He and wife, Sherrie, have two daughters, Andrea and Alison, ages 15 and 13.

Assistant Coach
David Niven

Niven, a 1996 graduate of Oklahoma Bapitst University, begins his 4th season as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs after spending the 1996-97 season as an assistant coach at Oklahoma Baptist.

Niven's playing career began as a red-shirt at Quachita Baptist University.  He then transferred to OBU and finished his four-year career.  In those four years, Niven became the player with the most wins in school history with a 121-24 record.  He also became the first player to help lead the Bison to four consecutive national tournaments and two final four finishes.

In 1997, while assistant coach at Oklahoma Baptist, Niven received his Master of Education degree from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma.  He received valuable coaching experience as the Bison went 36-4 and make it to the 1997 NAIA National Championship Finals.

Graduate Assistant Coach
Ryan Massey

Ryan Massey is in his first season as a graduate assistant coach for the Bulldogs.  Massey played four years for the Bulldogs with an overall record at Union, as a player for Coach Turner, of 112-28.

Massey graduated last year from Union with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and Heath.  He is currently working on a Master of Education degree with emphasis in Physical Education from Union.  After finishing, Ryan plans to teach and coach on the college level.

All-Time Coaching Records
(1968 to Present)