In only five years, Darren "Dip" Metress has taken Augusta State Basketball from a losing record to national prominence. Metress, who was named the fifth head coach in the program's history on May 10, 2004, wasted little time in rebuilding the Jaguars. He won 19 games in his first season at the helm of the Jaguar program, leading ASU to victories over three nationally-ranked opponents. Metress added 15 wins in his second season and then, in just his third year, guided ASU to its second-best season in school history in 2006-07. Not only did the Jags win 24 games and a PBC regular-season championship that season, Metress was named PBC Coach-of-the-Year and ASU earned a No. 1 regional seeding. The Jags served as hosts of the NCAA South Atlantic Regional, advancing to the semifinals and earning a season-ending No. 18 national ranking. In 2007-08, it got even better. Metress guided ASU to what was, at the time, the top season in school history, posting a 27-7 record and advancing all the way to the NCAA Tournament's National Championship game and a national television appearance on CBS. Along the way, the Jags earned the highest national ranking in school history at No. 5 and clinched their first South Atlantic Region championship, earning their first berth in the Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass., in the process. Just win you thought the Jags were out of magic, Metress guided ASU to a 30-5 record in 2008-09 that included a school-record No. 3 national ranking, a sweep of the PBC regular-season and tournament championships, a second straight NCAA Regional Championship, and a return trip to the Elite Eight. ASU lost in the National Semifinals to Cal Poly Pomona (74-70), but garnered more national respect with the selection of Garret Siler and Ben Madgen as All-Americans, and finished the year with a No. 4 national ranking. With Metress at the helm, ASU has also made Christenberry Fieldhouse one of the toughest places to play in the Southeast, if not the country. The Jags have led the Peach Belt Conference in attendance and created a definite homecourt advantage. The Jags have posted a 59-9 (.868) record in Christenberry Fieldhouse, including a stretch of 10 consecutive home wins in 2006-07, and a student group initiated by Metress and known as the "Blue Crew" has rallied around the program, providing a "big game" atmosphere every time out ASU takes the home floor. Equally successful on the recruiting trail, Metress' eye for talent has translated into two Jags winning PBC Freshman of the Year honors over the last five seasons while AJ Bowman -- Metress' first recruit when he accepted the ASU head job -- won back-to-back PBC Player of the Year honors in 2006-07 and 2007-08. He was also named Player-Of-The-Year in the state of Georgia and was the first player in ASU history to be voted a two-time All-American when he earned national accolades as both a junior and a senior. Metress returned to Augusta following a highly successful, eight-year stint as head men's basketball coach at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C. During his tenure, Metress guided his alma mater to a 134-103 (.565) record, including a 117-66 (.639) mark over his last six years. In his last four years at the Abbey, the Crusaders posted a 40-8 (.833) record at home and an overall mark of 84-35 (.706), and in the last three years, they were 68-23 (.747). He also served as Compliance Director at Belmont Abbey from 1997-2004. Metress guided Belmont Abbey to a pair of CVAC (Carolina-Virginia Athletic Conference) Tournament titles in 2001-02 and 2002-03. The Crusaders made a pair of Division II NCAA Tournament appearances during that span, advancing to the East Region Semifinals in 2002. They earned the highest national ranking in school history in 2002-03 when they stood 11th in the final poll. Metress' 2001-02 Crusader squad caught the attention of college basketball fans when it defeated Division I College of Charleston 70-67 in Charleston, S.C., snapping the Cougars' 22-game home winning streak, which ranked as the fifth-longest in the nation. During that magical campaign, Belmont Abbey won the CVAC regular-season and tournament titles, earned a final No. 3 East Region ranking and posted a 25-6 record. Metress earned CVAC Coach-of-the-Year and East Region Coach-of-the-Year honors. A former Augusta State assistant, Metress served on the Jaguars' coaching staff under former head coach and current Director of Athletics Clint Bryant from 1989-1995. During those six seasons, Metress oversaw preseason and postseason workouts, monitored academic progress and coordinated the Jags' recruiting efforts under Bryant. Metress has also helped spur the careers of several assistants. His former aides who have continued their coaching careers include: Nate Dixon, an assistant men's coach at New Orleans; Jeff Brookman, assistant men's coach at Anderson University; Ganon Baker, player development assistant for the Nike Grassroots program; Jay Newberry, who spent two seasons on Metress' staff at ASU before joining the Ball State men's coaching staff; and most recently Jamie Quarles, the head boy's basketball coach at Oak Hill (Va.) High School. Off the court, Metress has been equally successful. Under his tutelage, 33 of 35 Augusta State and Belmont Abbey seniors who have finished their eligibility have either graduated or are on track to earn their degrees. The Jaguar and Crusader basketball camp have been a huge success, averaging over 200 campers. A 1988 graduate of Belmont Abbey with a B.A. in Political Science, Metress earned his M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision from Augusta State in 1992. Metress, 43, is married to the former Heather Bradford of Lincolnton, Ga. They are the parents of a daughter, Elizabeth Margaret.