Todd Abernethy - Men's Basketball Coach - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Todd Abernethy

Title:
Assistant Coach

Todd Abernethy joined Florida Atlantic University's staff in the spring of 2019, having spent the previous season as the head coach at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois. Before Trinity, Abernethy served as an assistant coach at Ole Miss for four seasons.

In 2022-23, Abernethy and the Owls' coaching staff led Florida Atlantic 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.

Abernethey 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.

Abernethy has been a part of winning seasons in each of his five years at FAU. In Abernethy’s third year on staff, the Owls finished 19-15 to rack up the third most wins in a single season at FAU, which included a berth in the Roman College Basketball Invitational (CBI), FAU’s fourth ever postseason tournament appearance. 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.

In 2021-22, Alijah Martin earned All-Conference USA Third Team honors and Michael Forrest was named to the NABC All-District Team, the first for the Owls in nine seasons. FAU’s 11 C-USA wins helped the team earn the third seed in the C-USA Tournament. The Owls went on to earn their fourth consecutive win at the opening/second round of the C-USA Tournament with their dominant 86-59 win over Southern Miss.

In his second year on staff during the shortened 2020-21 season, the Owls earned another winning campaign, FAU again won a game at the C-USA Tournament and was at the top of the league and among the nation's leaders in total rebounds (first, and No. 9 in the nation), 3-point percentage (first and 16th), scoring margin (second and 20th), 3-pointers made (third and 17th), and scoring (third and 38th).

In his first season in Boca Raton, Abernethy helped the Owls to their second winning season in a row, the first time that happened since the 1996-97 season. FAU also set records for most home wins and 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.

At TIU, Abernethy led the Trojans to a 15-15 record and produced two All-League Players. While at Ole Miss, Abernethy oversaw player development and helped develop three First-Team All-SEC players. Abernethy also proved to be a skilled recruiter, signing players from all over the world including Europe, Florida, Indiana and Mississippi.

Abernethy began his coaching career in Indianapolis at IUPUI as the director of basketball operations and video coordinator. He returned to his alma mater in 2014 and served as an assistant coach under Andy Kennedy for four seasons. The Rebels advanced to the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament and to the Elite Eight of the 2017 NIT.

Abernethy, a Carmel, Indiana native, played at Ole Miss from 2003-2007 and earned All-SEC honors in 2006-07 after leading the Rebels to the SEC Western Division Championship. As a freshman at Ole Miss in 2003-04, Abernethy started all 28 games for coach Rod Barnes. In 2004-05, he came off the bench and was named the SEC Sixth Man of the Year. In 2006-07, under the direction of first-year head coach Andy Kennedy, Abernethy was an All-SEC point guard, averaging 12.3 points and 6.3 assists per game in helping the team win the SEC West. Abernethy finished his playing career at Ole Miss with 1,036 points. He also recorded 431 assists, which ranks fourth in school history. Abernethy also made the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times.

From 2007-2013, Abernethy played professional basketball in the Netherlands, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine and Poland. In 2010, Abernethy played in Estonia for Tartu Rock and won the Estonian Championship. In 2012, while playing in Ventspils, Latvia, his team advanced to the EuroChallenge Elite 8.

Abernethy graduated from Ole Miss in 2007 with a degree in banking and finance. He and his wife, Micah Abernethy, have two daughters, Ruthie and Maria, and two sons, Jack and William. Micah lettered in track and field and cross-country and earned a degree in Marketing at Ole Miss.