Salisbury University

Bobby Bates begins his second year as a graduate assistant for the men's basketball team while pursuing his Masters of Educational Leadership.

Bates finished his first season after helping lead Salisbury to a 10-16 (4-6 in conference) victory in the 2019-2020 season. Salisbury picked up momentum at the end of December and into the new year. The Sea Gulls upward swing started with an 88-80 win over No. 6 Marietta in the Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 28. That win sparked a streak of four wins in five games, including a three-game winning streak to start 2020. The Sea Gulls went on to host the CAC First Round against St. Mary's.

Bates started his journey coaching the Sea Gulls after coaching JV and Varsity basketball at Broadneck Highschool in Annapolis Md. for both the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 season while worked in Severna Park, Md. as an Elementary Physical Education teacher. Over the spring and summer, Bates also helped coach a 15U AAU basketball team, Maryland 3D, traveling and competing in tournaments up the east coast.  

Bates led his team to a 15-8 (12-5 in conference) victory in the 2017-2018 season before improving in the 2018-2019 season where his varsity team went 25-5 (15-2 in the conference); taking his team to the State Championship game for the first time in Broadneck High School history.

After attending Frostburg State, Bates transferred to Salisbury University in 2014 where he played on the basketball team for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons while completing his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education in 2017. In the 2014-2015 season, the Sea Gulls went 21-8 and won the CAC Championship for the first time in almost 20 years, respectively, before advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In the 2015-2016 season, the Sea Gulls went 21-7 before advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second year straight. 

During Bates' last year of his undergrad, after his playing eligibility had ended, Bates then became a student assistant for Salisbury in the 2016-2017 season. The Sea Gulls then went 20-8 while being undefeated at home 13-0. After ranking fifth in the country, the Sea Gulls succeeded to the CAC Championship before advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the third year straight.