Photo via Tennessee Athletics

Assistant Director of Player Development Riley Collins is leaving the Tennessee basketball program. Collins is following Justin Gainey to NC State as an assistant coach, a trusted source told RTI. Collins flew with Gainey and NC State brass to Raleigh on Tuesday.

Collins has been a part of Tennessee’s program since the 2022-23 season, spending the first two seasons as a graduate assistant and the next two seasons as assistant director of player development.

In his role, Collins was a key piece of Tennessee’s player development program. He worked tirelessly with Volunteer players— most notably Dalton Knecht, Chaz Lanier and Bishop Boswell over the last three seasons.

Collins was well respected inside the Tennessee program for his work ethic and relationship with players during his four-year stint in Knoxville.

During Collins time at Tennessee, the Vols made the Elite Eight three times with one additional trip to the Sweet 16. The Vols also won the SEC Regular-Season Championship during the 2023-24 season. The 28-year old now gets his first full-time assistant coaching opportunity with former Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey at NC State.

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A New Jersey native, Collins had a standout playing career at Division III Drew University. He finished his four-year career as the program’s all-time leader in points, assists and three-pointers made. Collins spent two years as a graduate assistant Division III Marymount in Virginia.

Tennessee has lost two staffers in the first 72 hours of the offseason with both Gainey and Collins off to NC State.

Rick Barnes’ staff currently includes assistant coaches Steve McClain, Amorrow Morgan, Gregg Polinsky and Bryan Lentz.

Support staffers includes Director of Basketball Operations Mary Carter-Eggert, Director of Men’s Basketball Sports Performance Garrett Medenwald, Director of Player Personnel/Recruiting Coordinator Lucas Campbell, Director of Video and Analytics Luke Schapker, Director of Strategy Scott Daughtry, Player Development Coordinator Justin Caldwell and graduate assistant Colin Coyne.