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Shenton Wai is in his fourth season as team operations coordinator, where he is responsible for film exchange and assisting with recruiting coordination and on-campus visits, team travel, academics and compliance.
Last season, UTSA posted an 18-14 record and advanced to its fifth consecutive Southland Conference Tournament. The Roadrunners recorded a 10-6 league ledger, their most conference wins since 2004-05, which resulted in a third-place finish in the West Division.
In 2010-11, UTSA captured the Southland Conference Tournament Championship for the first time since 2004 and earned to the program’s fourth NCAA Tournament appearance, where it registered the first NCAA postseason victory in any sport in the department’s 30-year history with a 70-61 first-round victory over Alabama State during the First Four on March 16 in Dayton, Ohio. That win gave UTSA its first 20-win season in 19 years.
In 2009-10, UTSA opened with a 4-0 overall record for the first time in school history and got off to the best 15-game start in school annals with a 12-3 mark. That stretch included a historic road win at Iowa — the Hawkeyes’ first home-opening loss since 1962 and first season-opening defeat since 1978. The Roadrunners finished 19-11 overall and tied for third in the Southland Conference West Division and fifth overall with a 9-7 league mark, their best Southland ledger since going 10-6 in 2004-05. UTSA won a school-record 10 non-conference contests, including a UTSA-best seven victories against Division I opponents, and advanced to the Southland Tournament for the third consecutive year.
Wai joined the Roadrunners after spending the 2008-09 season as a basketball operations intern with the San Antonio Spurs. While with the NBA franchise, Wai scouted, built and maintained the 2009 draft prospect and free agent DVD library for NCAA, NBDL and international players. Wai also coordinated travel for draft workouts, mini camps, training camps and open gym summer workouts, as well as assisting in the day-to-day operations of the front office.
Prior to joining the Spurs, Wai was a marketing and communications executive with the National Basketball League in Australia from 2004-08. He was responsible for the management of the NBL licensing program and official team gear and merchandise. Wai also managed multi-million dollar sponsorships for several companies and organized corporate events such as golf outings, trade show exhibits, dinners, press conferences and tournaments.
Wai served as marketing coordinator for the Sydney Kings from 2003-04, managing promotions and marketing activities, developing a membership loyalty program for season ticket holders and initiating relationships with community and corporate clients.
From 2001-04, Wai was an assistant coach and advance and talent scout for Sydney, helping the Kings win back-to-back NBL Championships in 2003-04.
Wai also coached a junior boys team, Nunawading Spectres, in 2000, a representative-level (highest level) club that produced Olympian and former NBA player Shane Heal. In 2003, he served as head coach for the Australian team that participated in the Maccabi Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
A former player, Wai was a member of the Melbourne Tigers junior squad from 1991-93. He began playing club basketball in 1989 for Ashwood and began coaching the team one year later at the age of 13.
Wai earned a bachelor of business management degree in human resource and manufacturing from Victoria University in 1999. The Melbourne native graduated from Victoria with an associate degree in business operations management in 1996 and holds a Victorian Certificate of Education from Swinburne Secondary College in 1994.
Wai married the former Lisa Garza in August 2012.
The Shenton Wai File
Experience
· 2009-present: team operations coordinator, UTSA
· 2008-09: operations intern, San Antonio Spurs
· 2004-08: marketing and communications executive, National Basketball League (Australia)
· 2003-04: marketing coordinator, Sydney Kings
· 2001-04: assistant coach, Sydney Kings
· 2000: head coach, Nunawading Spectres (junior)
Playing Experience
Club
· 1991-93: Melbourne Tigers (junior)
· 1989-90: Ashwood
Education
· Earned bachelor of business management degree in human resource and manufacturing from Victoria (Australia) University in 1999
· Earned associate degree in business operations management from Victoria University in 1996
· Earned Victorian Certificate of Education from Swinburne Secondary College in 1994
Personal
· Wife: Lisa
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