Linc Darner, a national champion head coach who has won 384 games in his career, has been added to the Ball State men’s basketball staff.
“I am thrilled to be able to add Coach Darner to our staff. He brings with him a wealth of experience and has had success at every place he has been,” head coach James Whitford said. “Linc has a great mind for the game and is known for playing an exciting brand of basketball. His teams could flat-out score. I look forward to incorporating his ideas into our program.”
Darner, who coached Florida Southern College to the NCAA Division II national title, most recently was head coach at Green Bay from 2015-20. His teams went 92-80 at Green Bay (51-39 in Horizon League) and he coached the team to the 2016 NCAA Tournament. It was Green Bay’s first NCAA appearance in 20 years. He coached seven all-league players at Green Bay, including a league freshman of the year.
Before Green Bay, Darner turned Florida Southern into a Division II juggernaut. His record over nine years at FSC was 218-72, highlighted by the program’s national championship, 36-1 season in 2014-15. Darner coached FSC to eight consecutive D-II tournaments and six conference championships. From 2012-15, Darner’s teams went 89-12 with three top-10 rankings. His success led him to be voted 2015 national coach of the year by the NABC, Basketball Times and Division II Bulletin.
“There is no question in my mind he will help make us better,” Whitford said.
Darner is a recognizable name across the basketball world in Indiana, having been head coach at St. Joseph’s College from 2002-06 and most notably for his playing career at Purdue. Darner played for Hall of Fame coach Gene Keady at Purdue from 1990-94. He was team captain his junior and senior years and helped Purdue to a Big Ten regular season title and NCAA Elite Eight trip in 1994. He also played on a gold medalist team at the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1991. Darner earned his degree in management at Purdue in 1995.
Darner is the second and final hire to the BSU coaching staff this spring, following the addition of fellow Indiana native and former D-I head coach Billy Wright. Ball State now has three coaches with head coaching experience on their staff that have won 554 career college basketball games.
Ball State Basketball Adds Linc Darner To Coaching Staff
