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Joe Kuhn
Head Men's Basketball Coach
Email: jkuhn@jjc.edu
View Joe Kuhn's accomplishments
The 2009-10 season marks Joe Kuhn's thirteenth as the head coach of men's basketball at Joliet Junior College. During that time he has amassed an overall record of 263-132. JJC has won at least 20 games in 6 of the last 7 seasons and 8 times under Kuhn. 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) and advanced to the national championship game twice (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 eleven of his twelve seasons, including ten 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 17 years. Kuhn resides in New Lenox with his wife Kathy and daughter Caitlin, 15.
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Keith Kinzler
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Email: k.kinzler@comcast.net
Keith Kinzler begins his thirteenth 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, 9, and Kailey, 8.
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Zach Pucel
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Zach Pucel is entering his fourth season on the JJC basketball staff. Pucel, who is a 1998 graduate of Minooka High School, and 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 71-27 during Zach's three seasons as an assistant, including a trip to the national championship game in 2008. 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 married to Sarah Ansted-Pucel, a former JJC cheerleader (2000-01).
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Erik Walton
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Erik Walton is entering his third 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 assists with practices, recruiting and scouting.
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 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. 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 12 year old son, William.
Tyler Evans
Men's Basketball Student Assistant
Tyler Evans is entering his second season as a student assistant coach at JJC. Tyler assists in various roles for the JJC program including practices, film editing, game statistics, and scouting.
Evans, upon graduating from Morris Community High School in 2004, assisted his father Doug Evans at Seneca High School with scouting and helping at practices for the Fighting Irish.
While at Morris, Evans played football and was selected to the 2003 all-conference team as well as Special Mention on the Herald News All-Area Football Team.
Tyler is currently attending JJC majoring in Education.
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