Josh Jones was hired as an assistant coach for the Western Illinois men's basketball program prior to the 2016-17 season.
During Jones' first year coaching at WIU, the Leathernecks' season was highlighted by the team's impressive start to Summit League play and finishing seventh in the team standings, landing a spot in The Summit League Tournament. The Leathernecks kicked off league play 3-1 after upsetting preseason favorite Fort Wayne to open league play, 93-91. WIU made 18 3-pointers in the game to set a new program record (previously 15). The Leathernecks then lost at IUPUI before defeating both eventual tournament champions South Dakota State and Oral Roberts at home by scores of 82-74 and 86-71. For the fourth straight year Garret Covington was tabbed Second Team all-league. Covington also earned Player of the Week honors for his performance in WIU's start to Summit League play.
Jones was most recently an assistant at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo. for the past two seasons.
A former NCAA Division I standout, Jones helped lead the Blue Tigers to their most successful season in 15 years during the 2015-16 season. Lincoln won 16 games, went 12-2 at home and won its first postseason game since 1987. The Blue Tigers beat three teams who ended up qualifying for the NCAA Division II Central Regional and broke or tied eight single season records.
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One of the winningest players in Eastern Kentucky history, Jones spent the 2013-14 season as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. Jones, who is 19th on EKU's career scoring list with 1,192 points, started all four years, including all but two games during his final three seasons with the Colonels. As a player, Jones led Eastern Kentucky to 76 victories over four years.
In his only season as a graduate assistant, Jones helped guide the Colonels to an Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship tournament.Â
