There are teams that have a couple good seasons and then drop off, and then there are teams that keep building and become true programs.

Under the guidance of sixth-year head coach Vince Alexander the University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball program has become a national force over the past few seasons.

The USC Aiken men’s basketball program has won a school-record 72 games over the last three seasons. The 72 victories over the three-year span are the most in the Palmetto State among all levels of college basketball.

USC Aiken’s total cumulative win total of 72 over the last three years leaves them two games ahead of Benedict, which has won 70 contests over the last three years. Clemson is not far behind in third place with 69 wins. College of Charleston is fourth with 65 victories over the last three years.

The Pacers have not just won games over the last three years with the 2007-08 USC Aiken men’s basketball team winning the Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Championship and the 2008-09 Pacer men’s basketball team advancing farther than any other squad in program history to the NCAA Division II “Sweet Sixteen.” The 2009-10 USC Aiken men’s basketball team claimed the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship.

The Pacers have been especially strong under Alexander in the friendly confines of the Convocation Center where they are currently 37-6 during the regular season over the past three seasons. USC Aiken is 25-4 against PBC opposition during the regular season inside the Convocation Center since it opened its doors prior to the start of the 2007-08 season.

Alexander and the Pacers participated in their third straight NCAA Division II Tournament in the 2009-10 season. Prior to USC Aiken’s first of now three consecutive NCAA trips, the Pacers last visit to the tournament came in 1998. In 2008-09 the Pacers advanced to their first ever “Sweet Sixteen.”

The 2009-10 Pacers’ campaign ended with USC Aiken falling to Montevallo, 88-71, in the NCAA Southeast Regional semifinal for a trip to what would have been back-to-back “Sweet Sixteen” appearances. The Pacers nevertheless reached the Round of 32 in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history.

The Pacers reached the Peach Belt Tournament Championship game for the third straight year and claimed their first PBC Tournament Championship since 1993 with a 65-60 victory over Montevallo.

USC Aiken’s Byron Faison was named the 2010 PBC Tournament Most Valuable Player en route to the Pacers’ tournament title. Sophomore forward Kevin Willis was also named to the All-Tournament Team. Faison also garnered a PBC All-Conference selection at the conclusion of the regular season as a second-team member.

USC Aiken is one of only three PBC teams to play in three straight PBC Tournament Championship games. Ironically, all three schools lost the first two championship games before winning in their respective third attempts.

USC Aiken concluded the 2009-10 season with a 20-11 record, including three wins over Top 20 nationally ranked opponents. The Pacers have now claimed three-straight 20-win seasons becoming the first USC Aiken men’s team to do so in the university’s NCAA era.

In the 2008-09 season, USC Aiken opened the year ranked as the No. 1 team in all of NCAA Division II by The Sporting News. The Pacers were ranked as high as second nationally during the regular season before ending the year with a 25-8 record overall. The Pacers advanced to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship game and the NCAA Division II Tournament for the second straight year in the 2008-09 season.

Under Alexander the Convocation Center has become the place to be on gameday's in Aiken as USC Aiken's men's basketball team concluded the 2008-09 season ranked in the top 20 in the nation in total attendance, marking the second straight year that the Pacers had finished in the top 30 in the country. The Pacers had a total of 30,547 fans in the 2008-09 season visit the Convocation Center to average 2,036 fans per game.

The mark moved the Pacers up 11 spots from 28th one year earlier when an average of 1,479 fans visited the Convocation Center during the 2007-08 season. USC Aiken had the highest attendance in the Peach Belt Conference with rival Augusta State as the only other school in the league in the top 30. Augusta State averaged 1,688 fans per home game.

The two rivals played in front of the largest crowd in USC Aiken athletic history when the Pacers downed the visiting Jaguars 78-74 on Monday, Jan. 19, 2009 in front of a crowd of 3,569 fans. The PBC average in 2008-09 was 939 fans per game, meaning that USC Aiken more than doubled the conference average for the second straight year.

Alexander led the Pacers to a banner season in 2007-08, his third season as head coach of the USC Aiken men's basketball program. Alexander engineered a remarkable turnaround as the Pacers finished the season with a 27-4 overall record, including a 19-1 conference record to claim the program's second Peach Belt Conference regular season title.

USCA broke numerous school records in 2007-08, including most wins (27), conference wins (19), consecutive wins (14), home wins (15), consecutive home wins (15), and most wins to start a season (9).

The 2007-08 PBC Coach of the Year and South Atlantic District Coach of the Year, Alexander guided USCA to a final ranking of sixth. The Pacers advanced to the championship game of the PBC Tourney and earned the top seed in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional before falling to Clayton State 60-58.

Alexander guided the Pacers to a combined 15 wins in his first two years with the program. The Pacers were 15-44 in his first two years overall. Since then, Alexander has led USC Aiken to a 72-22 record and its highest regular season ranking in school history at No. 2 earlier in the 2008-09 season.

Alexander, who was 89-74 at Mansfield prior to taking the job at USCA in 2005-06, is now 176-141 all-time as an NCAA Division II head coach. Prior to the start of the 2007-08 season, Alexander was -14 in his career ledger with a combined record of 104-118. He now owns a +35 overall record. He is 87-67 as the head mentor of the Pacer men's basketball program.

While Alexander and his team went through a tough season in 2006-07 marred by injuries and roster shakeups, the coach did reach a milestone when the Pacers beat Allen 92-60 on Dec. 2, 2006, for his 100th career victory.

Alexander joined the USC Aiken community in June of 2005 after serving as head coach for the previous six seasons at Mansfield University, a NCAA Division II institution in Mansfield, Pa.

He became the school's seventh person to sit at the helm and third since moving to the NCAA Division II ranks in 1990-91. Alexander was hired after standing out in the hiring process to the USC Aiken administration.

"We interviewed an exceptional pool of candidates for this position; however, Vince stood out from the group as a stellar coach," said USC Aiken Chancellor Dr. Tom Hallman at a reception to welcome Alexander to campus. "I spoke to several people, including [Mansfield's] president, who had nothing but respect for Vince personally and professionally."

In his time at Mansfield, Alexander led the Mountaineers to an 89-74 record, the 2005 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Championship, and four appearances in the PSAC Tournament. Over his last three seasons, Mansfield was 57-29.

The PSAC does not crown a regular season champion, but Alexander's 2004-05 squad finished with the best conference record in the 14-team league. The Mountaineers went 10-2 on their way to the Eastern Division Championship. The team finished the season with an overall record of 18-11.

All those accomplishments are even more impressive considering Mansfield was picked to finish fourth in the Eastern Division.

Alexander took over the reigns of the Mansfield program in 1999 after serving two seasons as an assistant coach at the university. His first team finished 13-13 and his second squad (2000-01) appeared in the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 1997. Only eight of the 14 PSAC teams, four from each division, advance to the tournament.

After posting a 9-16 mark in 2001-02, the Mountaineers rolled off a pair of 18-win campaigns and a 20-win season.

In 2002-03, Mansfield went 18-11 and returned to the PSAC Tournament, making the first of three consecutive trips to the league championship tourney.

Alexander led the Mountaineers to a 21-7 record in 2003-04 and a second place finish in the PSAC Eastern Division. The team was ranked nationally during the season and with a final NCAA East Region ranking of number six, just missed earning a spot in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

The 2004-05 season saw a second 18-win campaign and for the third time in Alexander's six seasons as head coach, Mansfield led the PSAC in scoring. The Mountaineers average of 84.7 points per game also ranked 12th in Division II.

At Mansfield, Alexander produced 10 All-Conference players, six First-Team selections and four Second-Team choices, and the 2003 PSAC Eastern Rookie of the Year.

Before arriving at Mansfield as an assistant, Alexander was the head basketball coach at William Penn High School in York, Pa., as well as Dean of Students for the York City School District.

During his two-year tenure as head basketball coach, he guided William Penn to an overall record of 40-15, including a 25-5 mark during the 1996-97 season. His 1995-96 team was the YAIAA co-champion and the York County runner-up. The 1996-97 squad won both the YAIAA and York County titles, and Alexander earned York County Coach of the Year honors.

Prior to his stint at William Penn, Alexander was a physical education instructor and head basketball coach at U.S. Grant High School in Oklahoma City, Okla., from 1992-94 where his teams posted a 29-10 mark. Alexander's 1994-95 team advanced to the Oklahoma Regional Finals, and he was selected the 1993 Coach of the Year in the Oklahoma City League.

Alexander earned his Associate of Arts Degree in physical education from Blinn College (Texas) in 1987.

At Blinn, he was All-Conference and an All-Region selection. He then attended Oklahoma Baptist University where he earned his Bachelor's of Science in Physical Education and Recreation in 1989. He served as the team captain for two seasons.

Alexander and his wife, Anita, a teacher at Aiken Middle School, have one son, Benjamin, and one daughter, Samantha Denae`.

Nate Davis is in his sixth year as an assistant men's basketball coach at USC Aiken under Alexander.

Davis has helped the USC Aiken men's basketball program become a national force. The USC Aiken men’s basketball program has won a school-record 72 games over the last three seasons. The 72 victories over the three-year span are the most in the Palmetto State among all levels of college basketball.

USC Aiken’s total cumulative win total of 72 over the last three years leaves them two games ahead of Benedict, which has won 70 contests over the last three years. Clemson is not far behind in third place with 69 wins. College of Charleston is fourth with 65 victories over the last three years.

The Pacers have not just won games over the last three years with the 2007-08 USC Aiken men’s basketball team winning the Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Championship and the 2008-09 Pacer men’s basketball team advancing farther than any other squad in program history to the NCAA Division II “Sweet Sixteen.” The 2009-10 USC Aiken men’s basketball team claimed the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship.

Prior to coming to USC Aiken, Davis served as an assistant coach under USC Aiken Head Coach Vince Alexander at Mansfield University for five seasons. Davis' duties on the Mansfield bench included tutoring the Mountaineer guards as well as assisting in camps, clinics, team fundraisers, and recruiting.

"Nate isn't just an outstanding coach, he's also an outstanding person and because he is so genuine, he is a great recruiter," said Alexander of his assistant coach. "He has a passion and desire to see young people achieve success both in the classroom and on the court."

Davis assisted in leading the Mountaineers to the 2005 PSAC Eastern Division Championship and four appearances in the PSAC Tournament. Over the past three seasons Mansfield posted a 57-29 record.

The PSAC does not crown a regular season champion, but the 2004-05 Mansfield squad finished with the best conference record in the 14-team league. The Mountaineers went 10-2 on their way to the Eastern Division Championship and then advanced to the semifinals of the PSAC Tournament. The team finished with an overall record of 18-11.

All those accomplishments are even more impressive considering Mansfield was picked to finish fourth in the Eastern Division in the preseason coaches' poll.

The Mountaineers went 21-7 in 2003-04 and earned a second place finish in the PSAC Eastern Division. The team was ranked nationally during the season and with a final NCAA East Region ranking of number six, just missed earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

In addition to working with the Mountaineer basketball team, he served as a teacher at Wellsboro High School.

An outstanding athlete in high school and college, Davis was a member of the Mansfield football team, where he was a two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division selection at fullback.

He enjoyed a stellar career at Wellsboro High School as a three-sport All-Conference athlete, playing football, basketball, and baseball.

Following his time at Wellsboro, Davis enlisted in the United States Marines, where he served on an anti-terrorist team, before enrolling at Mansfield.

"Nate is committed to doing what it takes to bring this program to the next level," Alexander said. "He works hard in every aspect of the program, including on-court teaching, academics, and the behind the scenes work that is needed."

Alexander also speaks very highly of his top assistant when it comes to his role on campus and in the Aiken community.

"Nate is an extremely loyal man, not only to myself and the program, but also to the USC Aiken campus and the Aiken community. That speaks to the kind of person Nate is."

A 1999 graduate of Mansfield University with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration, Davis received his Master's of Science in Education from Mansfield in December of 2007.

Davis and his wife, Melissa, have one son, Simeon, and two daughters, Sydney and Shayna.

Brett Longpre is entering his third season as the men's basketball assistant coach at USC Aiken in the 2010-11 season.

Longpre's duties on Alexander's staff include recruiting coordination, opponent's scouting, overseeing academic programs, on-court coaching, as well as assisting with camps, clinics and team fundraisers.

Longpre works with USC Aiken's guards in practice, preparing them for strong guard play they will surely face in the Peach Belt.

"Brett is a great asset to our staff and USC Aiken", said Head Coach Vince Alexander. "He is a young coach on the rise, and brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to our program. He has a great passion and knowledge of the game. He does a great job recruiting, and he really enjoys mentoring our kids on and off the court", said Alexander.

Prior to coaching at USC Aiken, Longpre spent the 2006-2007 season as an assistant at Greensboro College in North Carolina.

At Greensboro, Longpre helped the Pride to a 20-7 mark, earning a share of the USA South regular season championship. which was Greensboro's first conference championship since the1984-1985 season.

He played professionally with the Milton Keynes Lions of the British Basketball League in the 2004-05 season. As a rookie, Longpre averaged 19 points per game for the Lions, ranking 3rd in the league. He also played in the summer of 2004 for the Niagara Gamblers of the Ontario Professional Basketball Association.

Longpre graduated from Mansfield University in 2004 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, playing under current USC Aiken Head Coach Vince Alexander and Assistant Coach Nate Davis.

He closed his career as the second all-time scorer in Mountaineer history with 1,765 points. He is the school's leader in career three-point baskets (301). Longpre was a two-time athlete-of-the-year, four time All-Conference selection, which included being chosen to the first team three straight years.

Longpre is the only MU player to score 1,700 points and grab 500 rebounds. The Mountaineers went 21-7 in 2003-04 and earned a second place finish in the PSAC Eastern Division. The team was ranked nationally during the season and finished with a final NCAA East Region ranking of number six.

Longpre is single and resides in Aiken.

Carlos Collazo is in his third season as an assistant coach on Vince Alexander’s staff. His first year working under Coach Alexander was during the 2006-07 season. Collazo rejoined the Pacer program prior to the 2009-10 season after spending two years playing basketball professionally in Puerto Rico and Mexico.

His duties include assisting with recruiting, scouting, and on-court instruction. Collazo will also work with USC Aiken post players.

Collazo is a 2006 graduate of Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pa., where he received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Spanish.

He was a member of the basketball team at Mansfield from 2004-2006. He played for Alexander in 2004-05, his first season with the Mountaineers.

An All-Conference player while at Mansfield, Collazo averaged 12.1 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game as a junior under Alexander. Collazo averaged 12.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a senior.

Prior to going to Mansfield, Collazo spent three years at Missouri Southern State University from 2001-04.

Collazo, a native of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, and his wife Leysa, reside in Aiken, S.C. He is currently a Spanish teacher at South Aiken Baptist.