CJ Preston is the director of basketball research & special projects for Vanderbilt men’s basketball. The 2023-24 season is his fourth overall on Stackhouse’s staff. He spent the 2022-23 season as the assistant video coordinator and the previous two as a graduate assistant.

In his new role – among other duties – Preston will oversee alumni relations for the program, serve as the student-athlete career development liaison, and research trends across the college basketball landscape including NIL and the transfer portal to keep Vanderbilt ahead of the curve.

A Vanderbilt Man, Preston was previously elevated to the assistant video coordinator position before the 2022-23 season after spending the previous two seasons as a graduate assistant for the program.

Preston has been a mainstay with Vanderbilt athletics since he arrived on campus in 2014 as an undergrad. He was a student manager for the men’s basketball program from 2014-18. He went on to serve as an intern for the communications and marketing departments for Vanderbilt athletics during the 2019-20 academic year before becoming a graduate assistant for men’s basketball in 2020.

He is a two-time graduate of Vanderbilt, earning his bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development in 2018 before completing his master’s in leadership and organizational performance in 2022. He was a member of the Dean’s List three semesters as an undergrad.