Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Kyle Church joined the Florida Atlantic University men’s basketball coaching staff in April 2018, continuing to work with head coach Dusty May. The two worked together the previous five seasons, two at Louisiana Tech and three at Florida, with May as an assistant coach and Church as Director of Basketball Operations at both stops.
Church was part of a Florida Atlantic coaching staff that led the Owls to what is undoubtedly the greatest season in program history in 2022-23. FAU qualified for the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in school history and advanced all the way to the Final Four. The Owls had the most wins in all of NCAA Division I basketball in 35, with a record of 35-4. FAU was only three wins shy of the single-season Division I record. Florida Atlantic won both the Conference USA Tournament and Regular Season Championship, which both marked program-firsts.
The Owls accomplished a number of feats during the 2022-23 season, including a 20-game winning streak, which at its time was the longest in its nation and currently stands as the third longest streak in C-USA history. The Owls' 18 conference wins are the most in C-USA history, and FAU also went an undefeated 17-0 at home, also for the first time in school history.
Church and staff guided Johnell Davis to C-USA Sixth Player of the Year honors, First Team All-C-USA and First Team NABC All-District recognition. Alijah Martin was also selected All-C-USA First Team and Second Team NABC All-District.
The Owls’ 19-15 record in 2021-22 marked the third most wins in a single season at FAU and included a trip to the Roman College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Throughout a stretch of the season, the Owls were on a 10-game home winning streak, being just one of 23 teams in the nation with 10+ straight wins at home.
FAU’s 11 C-USA wins helped the team earn the third seed in the C-USA Tournament. The team went on to earn their third consecutive opening/second round win at a C-USA Tournament with their dominant 86-59 win over Southern Miss.
The 2020-21 season was another winning campaign for the squad. The Owls again notched a win at the C-USA Tournament. The team was at the top of the league and among the nation's leaders in total rebounds (first, and No. 9 in the nation), offensive rebounding (first and 29th) and rebounding margin (first and 13th),
Church helped the Owls to their second winning season in a row in 2019-20, the first time that happened since the 1996-97 season. FAU capped off the year with a 66-56 win over Old Dominion at the C-USA Tournament. The victory was the first in-bracket, neutral site conference tournament win for FAU since 2002. Church helped develop big men Karlis Silins and Aleksandar Zecevic, who both saw their production increase in their second season. Church also oversaw Darden Kapiti's adjustment to collegiate basketball, as the freshman shot almost 70 percent from the floor.
In his first season in Boca Raton, Church helped the Owls to a winning record for the first time since 2011 and an appearance in the College Insider Tournament (CIT), just the third postseason appearance in school history. Xavian Stapleton, who played at Louisiana Tech under both May and Church, was named C-USA Co-Sixth Man of the Year. As a team, the Owls set records for three-pointers made and free throw percentage. The Owls also scored 2,322 points, the second highest single season total in school history.
Prior to FAU and during his three seasons at UF, the Gators had a 69-37 record, including a trip to the 2017 NCAA Elite Eight. Shortly after the end of that season, Church was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) 30-under-30 list, which recognizes up-and-coming coaches in college basketball.
In his two seasons at LA Tech, the Bulldogs won the C-USA Championship both seasons and posted a 56-17 record, reaching the NIT quarterfinals both years. During those two seasons, the Bulldogs had road wins at Oklahoma, Georgia and Texas A&M.
Church previously served as an assistant coach at Chipola College in Marianna, Fla., where he helped guide the Indians to a 26-5 record. Chipola reached No. 1 in the nation and maintained a top-15 national ranking in the NJCAA all season. His primary responsibilities included scouting, recruiting and on-court development.
Prior to being on the coaching staff with the Indians, Church was the head graduate assistant manager at LA Tech where he was in charge of monitoring the players’ academic progress and handling video content while earning his master’s degree in kinesiology with a focus in sports performance.
During the 2010-11 season, Church worked as a member of the Ole Miss support staff, assisting with skill development, academics, video exchange and video breakdown as the Rebels went 20-14 with an appearance in the 2011 NIT.
While earning his bachelor’s degree in history, Church was a walk-on at Charlotte from 2006-10 and scored his first career points, a 3-pointer, against Indiana at Assembly Hall in 2006. Church was named to the Atlantic 10 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, which honors student-athletes that have a 3.5 GPA or higher.
Church is married to the former Alex Lalos, as the couple got married in the summer of 2022.
