|
Wolves Men's Basketball
Coaches |
| Head Men's Basketball Coach
|
Assistant
Men's Basketball Coaches:
|
|
 |
Joe Kuhn
Head Men's Basketball Coach
jkuhn@jjc.edu
The
2008-09 season marks Joe Kuhn's twelfth as the head coach of men's
basketball at Joliet Junior College. During that time he has amassed an
overall record of 238-125. Coach Kuhn, who has been named coach of the
year six times, has guided the Wolves to the national tournament four
times (2008, 2005, 2004, 1998), advancing to the national championship
game twice in the last four seasons (2008, 2005). Kuhn has coached seven
All-Americans, four conference players of the year, and 19 all region
players at JJC. The Wolves have played in the region championship game
ten of his eleven seasons, including nine in a row, and have won four
conference crowns (2008, 2004, 2003, 2001). Coach Kuhn is currently
second on the career wins list at Joliet. Fizz Wills, who coached JJC
for 33 seasons, is the all time leader with 668 wins. |
|
The
2007-08 Wolves finished as the NJCAA national runner up, falling to
North Lake from Dallas, Tx. in the championship game. It was the Wolves
second appearance in the last four seasons in the national championship,
the other in 2005. The Wolves beat the College of DuPage in overtime to
earn the Region IV championship and advance to the national tournament.
It was also the seventh time the Wolves have reached at least 20 wins
under Kuhn.
The
2004-05 season saw Kuhn and the Wolves advance to the national
championship game as they finished the season as the national runner up, falling to Hostos Community
College (New York) in the national championship game, 73-71. JJC owned a
one point lead late in the title game but a three pointer in the closing
seconds by Hostos finished the scoring. The Wolves had a chance to tie the
game on a last second shot but it fell just short. JJC beat the College of
DuPage in the Region IV championship 63-58 at Fizz Wills Gym, giving Kuhn
his third region title. The Wolves eliminated Harper in the semi-finals.
The
2003-04 team finished with a 30-5 record, advanced to the national
tournament, and set several school records, including wins in a season
(30), 20 wins in a row, and an undefeated conference season. They won the
Region IV championship with an amazing come from behind overtime win over
Harper College. The Wolves, who trailed by 16 points with seven minutes
left, put on a furious rally to claim the region championship to advance
to the national tournament. JJC was rated as high as third in the NJCAA
national polls.
In
his initial campaign as head coach (1997-98), Kuhn’s Wolves won 10 of
their last 12 games to advance to the 1998 Division III national
tournament in Delhi, N.Y. and finished third place overall.
The
1997-98 campaign was not the first time that Coach Kuhn associated himself
with Wolves basketball. Kuhn served as an assistant during 1992-93. That
year the Wolves advanced to the NJCAA Division II nationals in Delta, MI,
finished with a mark of 30-6, and won the North Central Community College
(N4C) championship.
Before accepting the coaching position at JJC, Kuhn was the head coach at
Rich East High School for three seasons, 1994-96.
Kuhn
was an assistant coach for Pat Sullivan at the University of St. Francis
for two seasons (1990-92) before taking the assistant position coaching
position at JJC.
Prior to coaching at USF, Kuhn was a teacher and assistant coach for both
basketball and baseball at Thornwood High School in South Holland, IL.
Kuhn
is a 1981 graduate of Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills, IL. He
was a two-sport athlete playing both basketball and baseball. He attended
Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, IL where he played basketball.
Kuhn
received his bachelors degree in physical education from Chicago State
University. He has since earned his master’s degree in curriculum and
instruction from National-Louis University.
In
addition to coaching the Wolves, Kuhn is currently a biology teacher at
Rich East High School, where he has been teaching for the past 16 years.
Kuhn resides in New Lenox with his wife Kathy and daughter Caitlin, 14.
Back to the top
|
 |
Keith
Kinzler
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
k.kinzler@comcast.net
Keith
Kinzler begins his twelfth season as the top Wolves assistant coach. He has
been with Coach Kuhn since day one of his tenure and has played an
important role in the success of the Wolves. Their relationship dates back
to the 1992-93 season when Kinzler was a player and Kuhn was an assistant
coach. Kinzler has helped lead the Wolves to three national tournament
appearances, three Region IV championships, and three N4C conference
crowns.
Kinzler, who played for JJC from 1991-93, is number two on the college’s
all-time rebounding list with 861 boards in 70 games. That career total,
which averages out to 12.3 rebounds per game, puts him second only to
Sylvester Cottrell, who played for the Wolves from 1969-71. Kinzler is
also second on the JJC all-time, single season list with 502 rebounds
during the 1992-93 season (14.3 per game).
|
|
The
6-foot-9 Kinzler set a National Junior College Athletic Association
(NJCAA) Division II tournament record for rebounds in a game with 22
boards. One year later, Kinzler broke his own mark with 23 rebounds in a
NJCAA Division II national tournament game. That record still stands
today.
While
a player with the Wolves, Kinzler helped Pat Klingler and company to a
55-17 record and a 1993 N4C championship. He scored 745 points throughout
his career at JJC and earned All-N4C and All-Region honors during the
1992-93 season.
Following his time at JJC, Kinzler attended Morehead State University in
Kentucky on a basketball scholarship. He played for the late Dick Fick.
Kinzler, who runs Kinzler’s Janitorial Service, resides in Shorewood with
his wife Tiffany and their two children, Kyle, 8, and Kailey, 7.
Back to the top
|
 |
Zach Pucel
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Zach Pucel is entering his third season on the JJC
basketball staff. Pucel, who is a 1998 graduate of Minooka High School,
played for Joe Kuhn at JJC from 1999-2001. Pucel, who averaged 8 points
and 8 rebounds a game, helped lead the 2001 Wolves to a 25-7 record and
a N4C conference championship.
JJC is 46-21 during Zach's two seasons as an assistant,
including a trip to the national championship game last season. In his
initial season as an assistant coach with JJC the Wolves finished 20-12
before falling in the region championship game.
Pucel earned a basketball scholarship to Michigan Tech
where he majored in engineering and graduated in 2004. While at Michigan
Tech, Pucel helped the Huskies to a 56-6 record in his two seasons,
including back to back Great Lakes North conference championships. The
2002-03 team earned a school best 29-3 record and the number one ranking
in the country at the NCAA Division II level. |
|
Pucel, who resides in Shorewood, is currently employed by TranSystems
Corporation of Schaumburg, IL, where he is a construction engineer. Zach
is engaged to Sarah Ansted, a former JJC cheerleader (2000-01).
Back to the top
|
 |
Erik Walton
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Erik Walton is entering his second season as an assistant coach at JJC. In
his initial season the Wolves advanced to the NJCAA national
championship game, falling to North Lake. Erik is involved with
recruiting and works with guards in practice.
Walton began his basketball career
at Joliet Township High School. He played for the Steelmen from 1992 to
1996, being part of the teams that went to state championships in 1994
and 1995. Walton helped the Steelmen bring home the fourth place state
trophy in 1995.
Walton began his college basketball career under Joliet Junior College's
Joe Kuhn during Kuhn's first year as men's basketball coach. He played
power forward, small forward and center during his two years at JJC.
After returning to the team from an ACL injury, Walton became an
integral part of the 1997-1998 men's basketball team that took third
place at the NJCAA National Championships in Delhi, New York. Upon
completion of his time at JJC, Walton went on to play for Eureka College
in Eureka, Illinois. |
|
Walton transferred to Aurora University to complete his bachelor's degree in history. During his time
at AU, he was an assistant boy's basketball coach at Gompers Junior
High, where he coached Bruce Durham, a member of this year's team. From there, he began work at Joliet Job Corps where he rebuilt the
men's basketball program. Walton led his team to a third place finish in the Job Corps Region IV
championship. During his time as a coach at Joliet Job Corps, his final
record was 20-14.
Walton, who lives in Wilmington, is currently
working for Cornerstone as a program director. Erik has a 11 year old
son, William.
Back to the top
|
|
