What does it take to lead a college basketball team in the age of the transfer portal? How do you build a winning program while staying connected to the community?
In the November episode of “Connect with County Leaders,” Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill sits down with George Mason University Men’s Basketball Head Coach Tony Skinn, who’s led the Patriots to 47 wins in just two years to answer these questions and more.
Plus, Human Development Specialist Terence Trent from Gum Springs Community Center shares how basketball is helping fight domestic violence and cancer in the Mount Vernon area.
Building a Winning Culture in a Changing Game
Skinn is a basketball coach at George Mason University who is building something that lasts. After two seasons as head coach, the numbers tell the story: 47 wins, a regular season championship and a program record that matches the best in school history. Last season, Skinn was named the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and Virginia's Coach of the Year.
Skinn was a guard for the Patriots from 2003 to 2006, when the team made its historic run to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. But he knows that winning in college basketball today means playing a different game than the one he played.
“It’s not easy in this landscape,” Skinn said. “When you have a chance to have an opportunity the way I did, you want to make sure your first year, your first couple years, you’re setting the foundation; you’re setting your culture.”
The biggest challenge now is the transfer portal, meaning players can now move between schools without sitting out a year, creating what Skinn calls “the wild, wild West” of college basketball.
“You can have a good team today, but that team won’t be there tomorrow,” he said. “You’re trying to make sure you’re recruiting your current guys, but knowing the climate, good, bad or indifferent, you’re going to lose guys.”
Last season, George Mason lost almost all its experienced players, as 91% of the minutes played were by players who graduated or moved on. Skinn and his team had to start fresh and rebuild the roster mainly by recruiting new players. They successfully signed all seven of their top choices.
The Art of Recruiting in 2025
National basketball pundits widely consider Skinn to be one of the better recruiters in the country. This year, he brought in 11 new players to replace the talent that left.
Skinn’s recruits have gone on to play professionally overseas and on other major programs. When young athletes see success, they want to be part of it.
But recruiting isn’t just about wins and losses. It’s also about keeping talent local. Skinn pointed out that most NCAA tournament-winning teams in the past decade have had at least one or two players from the Washington D.C. region.
“I’m biased because I’m from the area,” he said. “But if we’re going to be good, we’re going to have to continue to be really, really good in our backyard.”
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More Than Basketball: A Community Team
George Mason basketball isn’t just about wins on the court. It’s about being Northern Virginia’s team.
“There’s no football at George Mason, and so, we’re the main attraction,” Skinn said. “We’re thriving athletically, and we want to be consistent, but we’re going to continue to need the help from the community as much as possible.”
The partnership between the university and the community runs deep. Last season, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams had winning records, something that hadn’t happened before at George Mason. Women’s head coach Vanessa Blair Lewis led her team to the NCAA tournament while Skinn's team captured its first-ever Atlantic 10 regular season title and won a National Invitation Tournament game for the first time since 2004.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
This year marks the 20th anniversary of George Mason’s legendary Final Four run in 2006. The celebration brings former coach Jim Larrañaga (who Skinn calls “the greatest coach that’s ever coached at George Mason”) and former teammates back to campus. Larrañaga's banner will be raised to the rafters during the Dec. 13 game vs. Old Dominion in a special ceremony.
“Making sure he gets his flowers while he’s here was important to me,” Skinn said of Larranaga, who recently retired from coaching at the University of Miami.
For Skinn’s current players, the reunion is a reminder of what’s possible when you believe in your team.
To purchase games tickets this season, visit gomason.com/tickets.
Connect with the Gang: Terence Trent Brings Basketball and Purpose Together
In the employee spotlight segment “Connect with the Gang,” Hill talked with Terence Trent, a human development specialist at Gum Springs Community Center in Mount Vernon.
Trent is using basketball as a tool to raise awareness and funds for two critical causes: breast cancer and domestic violence.
The “Fight for Cancer and Domestic Violence” basketball tournament brought together 110 participants and eight teams in an 18-and-over adult league. Teams competed in what Trent called the “DMV King of the Ring” tournament, with all proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Foundation of Washington, D.C. and the House of Ruth, which supports domestic violence survivors.
“It’s a collaboration that everybody needs to have be a part of,” Trent said. “A lot of people don’t like to talk about it. It’s real sensitive. We try to do our best to make sure that we’re touching all bases when it comes to these type of things and bring that awareness to everybody.”
Trent emphasized that domestic violence awareness affects men too. “If you see something, say something,” he said. “So, I would love for everybody to be a part of it and make it worldwide.”
Making Gum Springs a Hidden Gem
Gum Springs Community Center, located off Richmond Highway, is what Trent calls “a hidden gem” in Fairfax County. The center runs programs for seniors and youth, and Trent treats everyone who walks through the doors like family.
“When you come in the doors of Gum Springs, we’re one big family,” he said. “And I speak and stand behind that 110%.”.
Building Connected Communities
Trent suggested building more connected and fair communities across the county is about making it personal.
“Everybody has to make things more personal, get to know a person as a person. Don’t judge, don’t turn your back on people. You just never know what people are going through,” he said. “I want to know ‘How was your day? What you got going on; what’s new? How’s the family?’”
Trent believes that genuine connection is what’s missing in today’s world.
“There’s no more love going on in the world. So, I think that’s a big piece,” Trent said. “Be genuine about what you say; be genuine about what you do.”
Connect With County Leaders Podcast
The “Connect with County Leaders” podcast is a monthly opportunity to meet and connect with Fairfax County leaders, to learn about the latest county news and information, and hear more on specific programs and services in Fairfax County.
Listen or watch past episodes of “Connect with County Leaders” on SoundCloud, on YouTube and on Channel 16’s podcast on demand page. For other Fairfax County podcasts, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/podcasts, and for additional audio content, tune in to Fairfax County Government Radio at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/radio.
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