Augustana College Director of Athletics Mike Zapolski has announced a change of leadership in the men’s basketball program, with head coach Tom Jessee taking an immediate voluntary personal leave of absence.
Assistant coach Jordan Delp has been named the program’s acting head coach and will lead all aspects of the program. Delp has served as the program’s top assistant coach since the start of the 2021-22 season.
“Tom has been an integral part of the Augustana men’s basketball program for more than 30 years, and at this time he needs to step away from his current responsibilities,” said Zapolski. “We mutually determined that an immediate voluntary personal leave of absence was the appropriate course of action.”
A 2009 Augustana graduate, Delp was a key member of the program from 2004-09, helping the Vikings compile an overall record of 103-34, claim three regular season CCIW championships, three NCAA Tournament berths and two conference tournament titles. Delp was a second team All-CCIW selection as a junior in 2006-07, averaging 13.1 points a contest and shooting 44.9 percent from three-point range.
“Jordan is an outstanding coach and teacher, and I have no doubt that he will work tirelessly to help our men’s basketball student-athletes compete with confidence at a high level,” said Zapolski. “We are blessed to have a wonderful group of young men with high character on our men’s basketball roster, and they will rally around each other and Coach Delp to represent Augustana in a first-class manner moving forward.”
Augustana is in the midst of a seven-game home stand at the Carver Center and will host undefeated and No. 23 ranked Illinois College on Thursday night beginning at 7 p.m.
