Fresno Pacific University Director of Athletics Leslie Schuemann has announced the hiring of Tim Kisner as head men’s basketball coach. Kisner brings a strong track record of success as both a player and a coach and has spent the past four years as the associate head coach at Lake Superior State in Michigan, a nationally-ranked NCAA Division II program. A press conference to officially introduce Kisner as the head coach will be held on the FPU campus next week.
“We’re very excited that Coach Kisner has accepted our offer to lead the FPU men’s basketball program,” said Schuemann. “We love what he brings to the table as a basketball coach, but we’re equally excited about what he brings in terms of his Christian leadership, his ability to invest in young people, his desire to serve the community and his commitment to graduating student-athletes.”
“Coach Kisner is a proven winner that has displayed leadership at every stage of his career. Whether it’s been as the starting point guard on his college or professional team, as a high school coach, or as an assistant coach for an up-and-coming NCAA Division II program, championships have followed him every step of the way. We had an incredible pool of candidates to choose from and we feel Coach Kisner is the individual best equipped to revive this program into one our university, alumni, fans and community can be proud of.”
Kisner arrived at LSSU in 2011 and after spending the first two years solidifying a foundation for the program, helped deliver the most successful two-year stretch in school history with back-to-back GLIAC championships and NCAA tournament bids in one of the nation’s toughest regions. The team posted a combined record of 53-13 during that span and reached the NCAA tournament’s second round both seasons before falling to the tournament’s #1 seed.
“First I would like to thank God for this opportunity that He has been preparing me for,” said Kisner. “I’d also like to thank President Kriegbaum, Leslie Schuemann and the entire search committee for entrusting me with this position. I am humbled and honored to become the head coach at Fresno Pacific and look forward to working with our student athletes. We will strive to get better on a daily basis on and off the floor and build a great program that students, fans, alumni and faculty will be proud of.”
“I have had a tremendous experience working with Steve Hettinga the last four years at Lake Superior State, in which he helped mold me as a coach. I have the utmost respect for Coach Hettinga and am indebted to him for his role in trusting in me and helping me grow. I would like to thank our players here at Lake State for the relationships we have developed, their willingness to listen, to be coached and to take our program to a level it had not been to before. There are a lot of people that I would like to thank, but none more than my wife, son and parents, whose support I am deeply thankful for.”
A four-year starter at point guard for NCAA Division I Central Michigan University from 1997-2001, Kisner competed in the Mid-American Conference against the likes of Bonzi Wells, Earl Boykins and Wally Szczerbiak. He was captain of the team that took home the 2001 MAC championship, the school’s first conference title in 15 years.
As a college player, Kisner developed a reputation as a hard-nosed player with exemplary leadership skills and a knack for late-game heroics. He graduated with numerous accolades, becoming the first player in school history to reach both the 1,000 point and 400 assist milestones and ranks among the program’s all-time leaders in points, assists, three-pointers and steals.
Following his collegiate career, Kisner was selected in the NBA D-League draft and spent two seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), earning player of the year honors for the Grand Rapids Hoops in 2003. He went on to play professionally in Europe, playing in Finland and Poland, and was part of national championship teams in both European leagues. He played in more than 350 professional games in seven countries before retiring as player in 2008. His professional career allowed him the opportunity to work with and play under a long list of elite-level coaches, including head coach Dave Joerger of the Memphis Grizzlies.
After returning to the U.S., Kisner served as director of athletics and head varsity basketball coach at Tri County High School in Michigan where he led the school to its first district championship in 24 years.
Kisner holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University, where he was on the Dean’s list, and a master’s from Ohio University.
The FPU men’s basketball program has a rich tradition, most recently posting a string of five seasons with 19 wins or more from 2007-2013. That stretch included three national tournament appearances, a GSAC Championship and a second-place PacWest finish in the program’s first season of NCAA competition (2012-13).
In the past 10 years the Sunbirds have seen more than 20 former players go on to play professional basketball around the world. The program’s lengthy list of successful alumni includes longtime NBA coach Ron Adams, currently with the Golden State Warriors.
Kisner takes over a program that went 9-19 last season and posted back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 2004-05.
http://www.fpuathletics.com/news/2015/4/28/MBB_0428153018.aspx
Photo Courtesy Fresno Pacific Athletics
