Oties Epps will begin his sixth year as part of the Cleveland State coaching staff during the 2017-18 season, and his second as the associate head coach. Epps, who was part of Cleveland State's first-ever Horizon League Championship team during the 2007-08 season, is serving in his second stint with the Vikings after an eight-year hiatus.

Epps rejoined the Viking coaching staff prior to the 2016-17 season after a five-year stint as the head coach at Evansville, where he led the Purple Aces back to the postseason and guided Evansville to its deepest MVC Tournament run in recent years. Throughout Epps’ tenure at Evansville (2011-16), four Purple Aces earned nine All-Missouri Valley Conference honors, including Sara Dickey who became just the second player in program history to earn MVC Freshman of the Year accolades during the 2013-14 season.

Prior to his time at Evansville, Epps spent three seasons at Wisconsin, serving as an assistant coach for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons and then as the defensive coordinator for the 2010-11 campaign. During his three-year tenure with the Badgers, Epps helped Wisconsin to a 56-31 record, while Wisconsin played in the postseason every year, including an NCAA Tournament appearance during 2009-10.

During his first stint at Cleveland State, Epps helped Peterson Abiad grow a four-win team into a NCAA Tournament participant, as the Vikings captured the Horizon League championship and automatic bid during the 2007-08 season, his final year with the Vikings. Throughout his four years on the Cleveland State sidelines, Epps helped mentor three players to nine all-league honors, including Kailey Klein who was named the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year (2006-07) and Dominique Butler who earned Defensive Player of the Year accolades (2007-08).

Epps got his start in collegiate coaching at his alma mater Wisconsin-Stout, where he served as an assistant coach for the men’s team during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. Epps began his collegiate career at Mt. Senario College before transferring to Wisconsin-Stout where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies, and later his master’s degree in Education.