APRIL 11, 2022
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann announced on Monday the hiring of Jack Owens as an assistant coach. Owens spent the last five seasons as head coach Miami (Ohio).
“We are really excited about the addition of Jack Owens,” Holtmann said. “He has shown the ability for a number of years to coach, recruit and develop talent at the highest level. His broad experiences working for excellent coaches, competing for Big Ten championships, and running his own program will prove to be an outstanding asset to our staff. Jack Owens is an outstanding person and an excellent and well-rounded basketball coach. We are thrilled to welcome he and his family to our Buckeye family.”
Owens is a graduate of Eastern Illinois (1999) and has spent the last 22 years in collegiate coaching.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to join coach Holtmann’s staff and I’m forward to helping build a championship team,” said Owens. “I’m thankful of coach Holtmann for the opportunity and I can’t wait to get going.”
While at Miami (Ohio), Owens guided the Redhawks to 70 wins and a berth in the 2018 CBI. That was the first postseason appearance for the program since 2011. His 56 wins in his first four seasons was the most in a four-year span for the program since 2009-12.
His best season in Oxford was the 2020-21 campaign that saw the RedHawks record their first winning season since 2009 with a 12-11 mark. That team also set a program record for three-pointers in a game with 18 at Central Michigan (Feb. 23, 2021) and set single-season program records for free-throw percentage (.776) and fewest turnovers (249).
No stranger to the Big Ten, Owens spent nine seasons on staff at Purdue prior to his tenure in Oxford. He served three years as an assistant coach and the last six as associate head coach to Matt Painter. During his time the Boilermakers recorded 209 wins (23.2/year), including 27 during his final year (2016-17) to help Purdue win a Big Ten Regular Season Championship.
In Owens’ nine seasons with Purdue, the Boilermakers made the NCAA Tournament on seven occasions, advancing to the Sweet 16 three different times.
Owens began his coaching career at Howard Community College during the 2000-01 season where he spent time as the interim head coach. He also coached at Barton CC, Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois. While at SIU, he helped guide the Salukis to four NCAA Tournament appearances, a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16, a Missouri Valley Conference title and an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.
A 1999 graduate of Eastern Illinois, Owens averaged 11.7 points and 6.5 assists per game as a senior, earning honorable mention All-Ohio Valley Conference honors. He also served as team captain during his final campaign, and garnered team MVP and Outstanding Defensive Player honors.
Jack Owens Career Coaching Timeline
2000–01 Howard CC (Assistant Coach/Interim Head Coach)
2001–02 Barton CC (Assistant Coach)
2002–03 Eastern Illinois (Assistant Coach)
2003–08 Southern Illinois (Assistant Coach)
2008–17 Purdue (Assistant Coach/Associate Head Coach)
2017–22 Miami (Ohio) (Head Coach)
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