Kisner lands at Oklahoma City
■ The former JBU assistant coach will lead the Stars’ men’s basketball team.
Tim Kisner spent the last two seasons helping the John Brown men’s basketball team win a combined 51 games and earn two straight trips to the NAIA men’s national tournament.
Now the former JBU men’s assistant coach — on at least two occasions each year for the foreseeable future — will be trying to figure out a way to slow the Golden Eagles down.
Kisner was announced Wednesday as the new head men’s basketball coach at Oklahoma City, according to a release from the university.
The hire of Kisner comes a little more than a month after it was revealed Kisner and JBU women’s assistant Von Eshnaur would not be returning to their roles in the JBU athletic department because of university budget cuts.
Kisner said he is excited about the new coaching gig, which just happens to be at one of JBU’s Sooner Athletic Conference rivals. He added it will be tough leaving John Brown.
“We are excited for this opportunity and our family is looking forward to being the head coach in Oklahoma City University,” Kisner said. “They have a great tradition and rich history of being highly successful in men’s basketball. This is also very bittersweet for our family and for myself. We have loved JBU and the Siloam Springs community. They have taken us in and loved us and given us a place where we felt at home.”
Kisner expressed appreciation for many people in the Siloam Springs community. He said other than two games a season when the Golden Eagles play the Stars, he will continue to root on JBU.
“I can’t possibly name every single person who has done so much for us here, but we are beyond grateful and humbled,” he said. “I love our players and have made lifelasting relationships. It will be extremely awkward to coach against them next year and I’m sure for them as well. Outside of the two times that we play them I will root for them every single night. I am so thankful to Coach (Jason) Beschta and (Athletics Director) Robyn Daugherty for the opportunity they gave me to work at JBU. It has been a wonderful experience.”
JBU head coach Jason Beschta congratulated his former colleague. John Brown defeated Oklahoma City three times this season, twice in overtime and once again in the quarterfinals of the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.
“I am really excited for Tim and the tremendous opportunity he has to coach at Oklahoma City University,” Beschta said. “They have been one of the toughest teams in the league year in and year out, and I expect that to remain the same with him at the helm. Going up against him will probably only seem weird leading up to it. In reality, once that jump ball begins it will be just like any other game. It’s not like you will see two teams that are mirror images of each other playing, because I’m sure Tim will have them doing some things we weren’t doing here, and I’m sure we will make some changes from things we have done as well. One thing I can guarantee is that those games will involve a lot of toughness and hardnosed play from both teams!”
I am really excited for Tim and the tremendous opportunity he has to coach at Oklahoma City University. They have been one of the toughest teams in the league year in and year out, and I expect that to remain the same with him at the helm. Going up against him will probably only seem weird leading up to it. In reality, once that jump ball begins it will be just like any other game.” —
Jason Beschta JBU men’s basketball coach
In a press release, Oklahoma City’s Athletic Director Jim Abbott said the Stars are excited to welcome Kisner. The Stars were coached most of the 2019-20 season by interim coach Hank Aldous. Aldous replaced Stan Holt after 10 games in the 201920 season.
The Stars finished 1516 overall and 7-13 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
“We are excited to welcome Tim Kisner to the Oklahoma City University family,” Oklahoma City athletic director Jim Abbott said. “Tim checks all of the boxes for us in terms of his success as a player and a coach, his commitment to excellence academically and athletically and his passion for providing student-athletes with a great experience. He inherits the most successful NAIA men’s basketball program in history, and I have no doubt that he will add to OCU’s legacy of success.”
Before coming to John Brown, Kisner spent six of the previous seven seasons as an assistant coach at NCAA Division II Lake Superior State (Mich.). In charge of advanced scouting for the Lakers, Kisner helped Lake Superior achieve the most successful two-year stretch in program history with consecutive Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles and NCAA II National Tournament bids. During those two seasons (2013-15), LSSU posted a combined record of 53-13 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in both seasons.
In his previous stint at Lake Superior State since rejoining the program in 2016, Kisner helped the Lakers to a 41-18 record over the last two seasons, including an appearance in the GLIAC tournament championship before falling to eventual NCAA II national champions Ferris State (Mich.) in the NCAA tournament regional semifinals.
Kisner spent one year as head coach at NCAA Division II Fresno Pacific (Calif.). In 2015-16, Kisner led the Sunbirds to a 14-13 record, marking a five-win improvement from the previous season.
Kisner was a four-year starter at point guard for NCAA Division I Central Michigan from 19972001. He captained the Chippewas to the 2001 Mid-America Conference championship, ending the program’s 15-year title drought. While at CMU, Kisner graduated with numerous accolades, including becoming the first player in program history to reach both the 1,000-point and 400-assist milestones and ranks among the program’s alltime leaders in points, assists, 3-pointers and steals.
Following his collegiate career, Kisner was selected in the 2001-02 NBA D-League draft and spent two seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), earning player of the year honors for the Grand Rapids Hoops in 2003. He went on to play professionally in Europe, in both Finland and Poland, and was part of championship teams in both European leagues. He played in more than 350 professional games in seven countries before retiring as player in 2008.