The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Men's Basketball
Battle, Turner
Turner Battle
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- tabattle@uab.edu
- Alma Mater:
- Buffalo '05 / Canisius '16
- Experience:
- 6th season
- Hometown:
- Kernersville, N.C
Turner Battle is in his sixth season at UAB and his fourth as an associate head coach under Robert Ehsan.
Battle has helped UAB to a 63-39 record, two postseason berths and two Conference USA championships during his tenure in Birmingham. Under Battle, UAB continued to serve as one of the top defensive teams in the country during the 2016-17 season, ending the year first in Conference USA and 25th in the NCAA with 4.9 blocked shots per game.
Junior forward William Lee became the first player in school history to win the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year award in consecutive seasons, finishing the year first in the league and 20th in the country with 2.4 blocks per game. Lee was also selected to the All-Conference USA Second Team, marking the third straight year in which he was named all-conference.
Lee is also only the fourth player in league history to be named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year twice. In addition, Lee earned a spot on the All-Conference USA Second Team.
In his second year at UAB, Battle helped the Blazers reach the postseason in back-to-back seasons. During the 2016-17 season, Battle and the Blazers won a school-record 26 games and captured the first Conference USA regular season championship since 2011, finishing league play with a 16-2 record.
In his first season in Birmingham, Battle played an instrumental role in the Blazers' remarkable run during the 2014-15 season, claiming UAB's first-ever Conference USA Tournament Championship, before advancing to the Round of 32 at the 2015 NCAA Tournament with a 60-59 win against No. 3 seed Iowa State.
Prior to arriving at UAB in 2014, Battle served as an assistant coach at Buffalo (2007-13) and Chattanooga (2013-14).
Battle played for and coached under head coach Reggie Witherspoon at Buffalo. He was the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in 2005, leading the Bulls to a 23-win season while averaging 15.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He went on to a pro career in Europe before joining Witherspoon's staff in 2007.
The Kernersville, N.C., native played in Estonia, France and the NBA Developmental League before heading to the sidelines. He spent six years at his alma mater with his main duties lying in developing the Bulls' backcourt and recruiting. His pupils include John Boyer, who led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio in 2010, All-MAC performer Byron Mulkey and Buffalo single-season assist record holder Jarod Oldham.
Inducted in the UB Hall of Fame in 2010, Battle was not just a great player. He epitomized the term student-athlete, excelling on the court and in the classroom tallying 1,414 points, 458 assists and 170 steals, while also earning 2005 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American honors. He was a three-time All-MAC Academic performer as well.
Battle earned a master's degree in sports administration from Canisus College in 2016.
A native of Kernersville, N.C., Battle and his wife Clare have two daughters, Maya (2) and Reena (1).
Battle has helped UAB to a 63-39 record, two postseason berths and two Conference USA championships during his tenure in Birmingham. Under Battle, UAB continued to serve as one of the top defensive teams in the country during the 2016-17 season, ending the year first in Conference USA and 25th in the NCAA with 4.9 blocked shots per game.
Junior forward William Lee became the first player in school history to win the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year award in consecutive seasons, finishing the year first in the league and 20th in the country with 2.4 blocks per game. Lee was also selected to the All-Conference USA Second Team, marking the third straight year in which he was named all-conference.
Lee is also only the fourth player in league history to be named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year twice. In addition, Lee earned a spot on the All-Conference USA Second Team.
In his second year at UAB, Battle helped the Blazers reach the postseason in back-to-back seasons. During the 2016-17 season, Battle and the Blazers won a school-record 26 games and captured the first Conference USA regular season championship since 2011, finishing league play with a 16-2 record.
In his first season in Birmingham, Battle played an instrumental role in the Blazers' remarkable run during the 2014-15 season, claiming UAB's first-ever Conference USA Tournament Championship, before advancing to the Round of 32 at the 2015 NCAA Tournament with a 60-59 win against No. 3 seed Iowa State.
Prior to arriving at UAB in 2014, Battle served as an assistant coach at Buffalo (2007-13) and Chattanooga (2013-14).
Battle played for and coached under head coach Reggie Witherspoon at Buffalo. He was the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in 2005, leading the Bulls to a 23-win season while averaging 15.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He went on to a pro career in Europe before joining Witherspoon's staff in 2007.
The Kernersville, N.C., native played in Estonia, France and the NBA Developmental League before heading to the sidelines. He spent six years at his alma mater with his main duties lying in developing the Bulls' backcourt and recruiting. His pupils include John Boyer, who led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio in 2010, All-MAC performer Byron Mulkey and Buffalo single-season assist record holder Jarod Oldham.
Inducted in the UB Hall of Fame in 2010, Battle was not just a great player. He epitomized the term student-athlete, excelling on the court and in the classroom tallying 1,414 points, 458 assists and 170 steals, while also earning 2005 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American honors. He was a three-time All-MAC Academic performer as well.
Battle earned a master's degree in sports administration from Canisus College in 2016.
A native of Kernersville, N.C., Battle and his wife Clare have two daughters, Maya (2) and Reena (1).
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