Chris Beard is the current head coach of the Angelo State Rams men's basketball team. He was hired in March 2013, taking over after previous head coach Fred Rike's contact was not extended. Prior to coming to Angelo State he served as the head coach at McMurry University. Beard graduated from high school from McCullough High School in The Woodlands, Texas. He was a student assistant at the University of Texas at Austin under coach Tom Penders graduating in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. He received a Masters of Education from Abilene Christian University where he served as a graduate assistant in 1998.