Centre College Athletics

Root comes to Centre following a successful stint as a graduate assistant at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, where he helped the Blazers achieve one of the best seasons in program history as the team finished their season in the NIT Championship with wins over Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Georgia, and FAU in the 2022-2023 Season. He also helped UAB set the season record for wins at 29 and a final season of NET ranking at 39. 
 
In the 2021-22 season, Root served as a graduate assistant at Western Kentucky University, where his team won 19 games, including Power 5 wins over Ole Miss and Louisville.

"We are very excited to be adding Gavin Root to our Basketball staff," said Mason. "He's not only played in a successful Division III program while in college, Gavin has also had the opportunity to work for 2 excellent Division I programs at Western Kentucky and UAB.  We're looking forward to Gavin being an integral part of our basketball program here at Centre. I'm excited to welcome Gavin and his wife, Allie, to our Basketball family."
 
Specializing in individual player development, Root worked with four players who earned All-Conference honors in Conference USA – Trey Jemison and Jordan "Jelly" Walker at UAB, and Dayvion McKnight and Jamarion Sharp at Western Kentucky.
 
Root was a four-year letter winner at Transylvania University, a two-year team captain and a member of the 2018-19 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship squad.

Root has worked as a clinician at several major basketball events including John Lucas Enterprises, The Under Armour Association Circuit & Collegiate camps including The University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Purdue University, Texas A&M, and Maryland University.

Root graduated from Transylvania University with a degree in Business Administration in 2021 and earned his MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2023. 

Root and his wife, Allie Root, reside in Nicholasville.