Julian Springer begins his first season as a member of the NIU men’s basketball staff in 2016-17. As NIU’s Assistant Director of Basketball Operations, Springer will be involved in day-to-day, off-court activities of the Huskie men’s basketball program. Springer comes to NIU from Malcolm X College, where he served as Director of Athletics in 2015-16.
Prior to his time at Malcolm X College, Springer was the head coach at Kankakee Community College for three seasons from 2012-15. Springer’s Cavaliers won back-to-back Region IV regular season titles in 2014 and 2015, while also claiming the Region IV Tournament title in 2015. Kankakee CC finished the 2014-15 season with a 24-9 record and Springer earned Region IV Coach of the Year honors.
Springer was the head coach at Rock Valley College for two seasons prior to his time at Kankakee CC (2010-12). The Golden Eagles recorded the biggest conference turnaround in school history during his second season, finishing the 2011-12 season with a 20-11 overall record.
During the 2009-10 season, Springer was an assistant coach at Jackson State, helping the Tigers win the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season title and reach the NIT. Springer coached three All-SWAC performers, including SWAC Player of the Year Garrison Johnson and SWAC Newcomer of the Year Tyrone Hanson.
A native of Chicago, Springer’s coaching resume also includes two seasons as an assistant coach and Director of Campus Recreation at Alma College (Mich.) as well as time as a graduate assistant at Central Michigan. He also directed and coached a city basketball league in Chicago for two years, helping more than 20 players earn NCAA Division I scholarships.
Springer earned his bachelor’s degree in recreation from Southern Illinois in 2005. He received a master’s degree in athletic administration from Central Michigan in 2007 and a master’s from Jackson State in health, physical education and recreation from Jackson State in 2011. Springer and his wife, Amber, have a son, Julian Jr., and a daughter, Jocelyn.
