FAIRFAX, Va. – Former George Mason University men's basketball guard Isaiah Tate is returning to his alma mater as a graduate manager with the program.
 
Tate joins the Patriot staff after recently wrapping up a decade-long professional basketball career.
 
"We are very excited to welcome Isaiah back to the Mason Basketball program," head coach Dave Paulsen said. "He was an outstanding player on some excellent teams during his time as an undergraduate, and has had a long and successful professional career. More importantly, everyone who interacted with Ike during his time at Mason has raved about his character and work ethic. He has a bright future in coaching and I am confident that he will be a fantastic mentor and resource to our student-athletes."
 
Tate played in 114 career games during the most accomplished era in program history. He was a part of two NCAA Tournament teams (2008, 2011) and the program's 2008 CAA Championship title. He averaged 8.0 points and 7.5 rebounds during the 2011 NCAA Tournament while helping the Patriots claim a Round of 64 triumph over BIG EAST power Villanova. During that senior campaign in 2010-11, Tate shot a sizzling 41.2 percent from 3-point territory.
 
"I've always wanted to get in to coaching, and it is a blessing for this opportunity to come at a time of much uncertainty in many different fields of work," Tate said. "Being able to start my coaching career and graduate studies at my alma mater is very special to me. To begin where I came through as a student-athlete, where I shared some of the school's most successful moments on the court and where I can try to positively impact the current team, coaching staff and university overall is a tremendous and humbling endeavor that I couldn't be happier to take on."
 
After his time at Mason, Tate went on to a productive professional career overseas, where he saw action in Spain, China, Finland, the United Kingdom and Canada. He also played with Mason's alumni team in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) in 2019.
 
"My time at Mason was filled with success, good times, great relationships and undying support and love from the Fairfax community," Tate said. "It meant a lot to me. I plan to help foster that same environment in the years to come."