The Vault Files: Providence Assistant Coach Nate Tomlinson

Meet one of the newest staffers for Providence College's men's basketball program

One of the most decorated players in the history of Colorado basketball, Nate Tomlinson brings the same edge he had on the court to the sidelines. | Colorado University Athletics

Nate Tomlinson, a first-year Assistant Coach at Providence College, is the subject of today’s rendition of The Vault Files.

Tomlinson was born on July 24th, 1989 in Sydney Australia, and arrived in the United States in the fall of 2006, shortly after his 17th birthday. He played two seasons at Lee Academy, a Pilot school in Dorchester, Maine, and committed to the University of Colorado ahead of the 2008-09 season.

In four seasons with the Buffaloes, Tomlinson appeared in 129 contests, making 112 starts. From when he first set foot on campus in 2008 through his final game in 2012, he averaged 5.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game on 44.4% shooting, including a career three-point percentage of 40.6%, tops in program history. He was also one of seven players in school history to eclipse the 400-career assist mark with 405 career dimes and is fifth all-time in total minutes played (3,540).

The Buffaloes also won plenty of games with Tomlinson on the roster. The team went 72-64 (.529) overall from 2008-12, including back-to-back 24-win seasons in the first two years under now longtime head coach Tad Boyle. During Tomlinson’s senior year in 2011-12, after winning the Pac-12 Conference Tournament Championship, Colorado made its first NCAA Tournament in nine years (2002-03) as an eleven seed in the South Region. The Buffaloes won their Round of 64 matchup against UNLV, 68-64: the program’s first March Madness victory since their 80-62 trouncing of Indiana in 1996-97.

Following an 80-63 defeat to Baylor in the Round of 32, Tomlinson’s illustrious college career ended- but his playing career did not. He spent five seasons with the Melbourne Tigers back in his home country, playing 135 career games and averaging 4.5 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists a night. With 411 assists and just 182 turnovers with Melbourne, he posted an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.25- an outstanding mark.

Tomlinson and Boyle knew he would one day make an outstanding coach. After remaining in constant contact throughout his overseas career and when Tomlinson would return to Boulder each offseason, Boyle eventually convinced his former player to join the coaching ranks.

In 2017-18, Tomlinson did become a coach, but not at his alma mater. Rather, he traveled to China, where he joined his father Bill at Shantou University in the country’s Guandong province. The stint was short-lived, however, and he returned to Boulder in 2018-19, serving as a coaching intern for the Buffaloes before being promoted to the Director of Player Development.

Under Boyle’s staff, Tomlinson worked alongside Kim English- an up-and-coming assistant whom he knew over the better part of 15 years going back to their prep school days in New England. The two worked together during Tomlinson’s first year back on campus- but English departed for Knoxville after the season to join Rick Barnes’ staff at Tennessee ahead of the 2019-20 season.

After two years apart, English and Tomlinson reunited when the former accepted the head coaching vacancy at George Mason University following the 2020-21 season and invited the latter to be on his staff. The Patriots went 34-29 (.539) overall with English and company, including an 18-16 (.529) mark in Atlantic 10 play. While not overwhelming, English emerged as a hot young commodity in the college basketball after leading Mason to a 20-13 record (.606) this past season.

Following Ed Cooley’s departure from Providence in favor of the job opening at conference foe Georgetown, English signed a six-year deal to be the new head coach for the Friars in March 2023. With him, he brought Tomlinson- along with the rest of his staff- as well as several George Mason transfers, including program legend Josh Oduro, senior wing Davonte “Ticket” Gaines (who played for English at both Tennessee and George Mason), and former four-star recruit Justyn Fernandez, as well as incoming freshman three-star recruit Rich Barron.

The Friars will have their fair share of returning talent- guards Jayden Pierre and Corey Floyd Jr. will be back alongside potential All-American forwards Bryce Hopkins and Devin Carter- but, for the most part, this will be a new team with plenty of questions surrounding both the staff and roster alike.

All in all, Kim English has assembled the perfect roster to compete- and with an assistant coach like Nate Tomlinson sitting courtside, there should be no lack of motivation.

For more, check out Nate’s interview below: