Western Illinois University Athletics

John Clancy was named as an assistant coach on the Western Illinois men's basketball staff by head coach Chad Boudreau on June 14, 2023.

Before being named as an assistant for the Leathernecks, Clancy served as head coach for Triton College, a position he was named to in July of 2021.

In Clancy’s two seasons as head coach, the Trojans went 52-13, including making it to the NJCAA D.1 Championship semifinals in the 2021-22 season.

Under the direction of Clancy, Triton posted its highest national ranking in the NJCAA Poll to #7 and NJCAA media poll #5 since its transition to Division I four years ago. Coach Clancy earned Region IV Coach of the Year honors as well as being awarded the IBCA Junior College Coach of the Year. 

The 2021-22 team had six NCAA Division I signees, one NAIA signee & one NCAA D.3 signee while reaching the NJCAA D.1 Final 4 in Hutchinson, and finishing 30-6. The 2022-23 Triton Trojans began the year preseason #7 in the nation and finished #14 in the final poll going 23-7. The team sent seven players to NCAA D.1 level, one to D.2, one NAIA signee.  

Prior to being named head coach at Triton, Coach Clancy spent one season at NJCAA powerhouse John A. Logan as an assistant under Coach Kyle Smithpeters (now assistant at Mizzou). In his one season at Logan, Clancy helped the Volunteers to the No. 1 preseason ranking in the country as well as a GRAC and Region 24 regular season and tournament championships. John A. Logan earned the #4 overall seed in the National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas and were knocked out in the Sweet 16 finishing their season 18-5. 

Prior to Logan, he spent one season at Triton in 2019-20 as an assistant. In his one season at Triton, he helped the Trojans to a 26-7 overall record and a final national ranking of No. 21 while helping send six players from Triton to NCAA Division I schools including Leatherneck star Quinlan Bennett.  

Before his JUCO stops at Logan and Triton, Clancy spent four years on staff at Southern Illinois University. During his tenure at SIU, the Salukis went 76-54 finishing T-fourth, third, second and third in the Missouri Valley Conference including winning 20 or more games twice in four years. Known for his development of players as well as his connections in the Chicagoland area, state of Illinois, and in the Midwest, he has proven the ability to attract top tier talent to the SIU/Logan/Triton programs both nationally & internationally.

Clancy's coaching career began in 2009, when at age 25, he became one of the youngest head coaches in the state of Illinois at Wheeling High School. He has also made coaching stops at St. Viator High School and Elk Grove High School. His professional resume also includes working as a skills trainer in the Chicago area with high school, collegiate and professional basketball players.

Clancy also served as an assistant coach for Niles North High School in Skokie. The team went 27-5 overall, 10-0 in conference play, and was ranked No. 12 in the state in 2013. In 2015, Niles North finished 21-9.

As a collegiate player, Clancy was the team captain as a freshman at Concordia University in Chicago. He was named to the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference All-Tournament and All-conference teams. Clancy was first in assists and steals and second in scoring and rebounds for Concordia University.

At Buffalo Grove High School, Clancy was a three-year varsity starter and made the All-State honorable mention team as well as All-Conference and All-Area teams. Clancy finished as a runner-up for the Mid-Suburban League Player of the Year, and his 19 assists in a single game is a Buffalo Grove school record. As a senior, Clancy averaged 15.2 points per game, 7.1 assists per game, 4.2 rebounds per game and 1.9 steals per game.

Clancy received his bachelor's degree in secondary education and his master's degree in educational administration and leadership from Concordia University-Chicago in River Forest.