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Ace Custis

Ace Custis

Special Assistant to the Head Coach
Joined Virginia Tech men’s basketball staff: 2019 and enters his sixth year with the program.

With the Hokies: In his first season (2019-20), Custis served as the coordinator of basketball relations and was responsible for overseeing alumni events, managing the relations between former players and the coaching staff, community outreach, recruiting activities, community service projects and team life skills programs developed for basketball student-athletes. In September of 2020, Custis was promoted to special assistant to the head coach, with being more involved in daily administrative operations of the program.

Prior to Virginia Tech: Custis for five years was as an assistant coach at Maryland-Eastern Shore (2014-19). Prior to UMES, the Eastville, Virginia native was an assistant at Virginia State in 2013-14.

Playing days: Custis played professional basketball for 15 seasons, including an 11-year career playing overseas. He also was a four-year basketball standout at Virginia Tech, where he was one of the most popular student-athletes in the history of the program. 

He was the third player in VT men's basketball history to score 1,000 points and bring down 1,000 rebounds. He had his No. 20 jersey retired in 1997, one of just four players to earn that accolade. He is currently third in career rebounds at Virginia Tech and seventh in career steals. He is 11th in career scoring for the Hokies.

Education: Virginia Tech, 1997.

Personal: Adrian “Ace” Custis resides in Christiansburg with his wife Denedra Custis, who is also a graduate of Virginia Tech (1997), and the couple has two boys, Adrian Custis II (Deuce) and Evan Custis. Ace Custis also has another son, Charles Mapp, who is currently serving in the Navy.