“Jason has worked diligently his entire career for this opportunity, and he is more than deserving to be named the 17th head coach in the history of ETSU Basketball. Personally, I will miss working side-by-side with Jason. We have worked together 12 of the past 14 years and have amassed a record of 315-102 at ETSU, NW Florida, and Tennessee, winning 75% of those games. He is a student of the game and his fingerprints can be found all over the success we have enjoyed at ETSU over the past five years. I had all the confidence in the world that Dr. Brian Noland would pick the right person for the job, and he did. Congrats to Jason, Jana, Peija and Joah! The future of ETSU Basketball is in the right hands!"
Steve Forbes, Wake Forest Men's Basketball Head Coach
"I'm extremely happy for Coach Shay and his family. He's the perfect coach for ETSU. He has the basketball smarts to lead and build a great program. He's also a first-class individual that cares more about his players as men than athletes. Big respect I have for Coach Shay."
Tobias Harris, current Philadelphia 76er who played at Tennessee for Coach Shay
"Coach Shay is a great motivator and teacher. He easily relates to the student-athletes. He tells it like it is and wants to help every one of his players succeed. I know he will do great at ETSU. Proud to say that he coached me and helped me in my career."
C.J. Watson, 10-year NBA veteran who played at Tennessee for Coach Shay
"Coach Shay is the definitely the right guy for ETSU. He’s the coach the Bucs need to lead to them to more championship titles. He is very chill, laid back and easy to talk to. But once you step inside those lines, you feel that energy and passion he has for the game and the enthusiasm he has to see his players grow is like no other. Coach Shay bleeds basketball, literally. Even though we would go at it during practice, looking back on it, I knew he was pushing me to be better because a true coach knows you have to test your players to see if they would fold or not. After that five-minute VersaClimber he made me do one time in practice, I think he knew I wouldn’t fold, and as a coach, you love to know you can trust your players in the heat of the game."
Tray Boyd III, ETSU guard played for Coach Shay from 2018-2020
"Coach Shay started as a coach, then friend and now he's family. He last coached me in 2005, but we’ve remained close and that’s huge for a coach that gets a new stock of young men every year. I love the Shays. I’m extremely excited for the family and the university.
"He’s the perfect balance of fun and loving, but at the same time, has a great fire and passion for the game that’s easy to see. He was always a coach that didn’t mind getting into you but knew how to relate to the student-athletes. He's one of the greatest basketball minds I've ever been around and ball was life for me for the majority of my life.
"Outside of his family, basketball has been a big part of his life’s work, and it’s so rewarding for a former player to see one of his favorite coaches have his hard work and dedication rewarded by becoming head coach at ETSU. He’s somebody I would vouch for on all levels. There's no better way to figure out who a coach really is than the word of a former player."
Joah Tucker, played at Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2003-06
"Jason Shay, like Steve Forbes is a basketball coach and a really good one. During our time together in the SoCon, I admired greatly the ETSU program, their grit, toughness and how connected their teams were both offensively and defensively. Coach Shay had a lot to do with that and that program. Moving forward, they will continue to compete for championships every year. I am really happy for Jason and the Buccaneer fan base."
Mike Young, Virginia Tech Men's Basketball Head Coach
"This is a well-deserved honor for Coach Shay. He has a great basketball mind and is a teacher of the game. Coach Shay was a big reason my game improved from my sophomore to junior season. We lived in the gym working on my craft, and I am extremely happy for him and his family."
Chris Lofton, Tennessee guard from 2005-08
"I’ve always had the utmost respect for Coach Shay as a person, coach and mentor. It’s the unseen hours he put in as an assistant coach that made us better players. The small things make the difference. That’s what ETSU stands on. We’ve had success over the last five years. It was only right to keep it in the family and keep it rolling. I trust him. I’ve always trusted him!"
A.J. Merriweather, ETSU guard played for Coach Shay from 2015-17