Indian Hills Community College has announced Josh Sash as the next Head Men’s Basketball Coach of the Warriors. Officially introduced at a press conference at the Hellyer Center on Tuesday, Sash becomes the 17th head coach in program history.

A graduate of Indian Hills and a former assistant coach for the Warriors, Sash returns to his native southeast Iowa after spending three seasons as the assistant coach at NCAA DI North Dakota State University.

“I am honored to return to Indian Hills as the head men’s basketball coach,” stated Sash. “I want to thank Dr. Matt Thompson and Dr. Brett Monaghan for the opportunity to lead this program. Having worked here as an assistant, I have seen first-hand the culture of success within the Indian Hills Athletic Department and the life-changing experience it provides student-athletes.”

Sash, a native of Oskaloosa, IA, previously served as the assistant coach for the Indian Hills Men’s Basketball program under former head coach Hank Plona from 2015-17. During his time in Ottumwa, Sash led the Warriors to 58 wins and back-to-back Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) regular season, National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XI Tournament, and NJCAA District XI Championships. The Warriors earned back-to-back trips to the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, KS.

“I’m excited to welcome Josh back to the Indian Hills family,” stated Dr. Brett Monaghan, Indian Hills Vice President, Student Development & Operations and Athletic Director. “During the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, Josh played an integral role in helping establish the culture that exists within the Indian Hills Basketball program today. During our search, it was critical to our team that we found a leader that we felt strongly about not only continuing this outstanding culture, but expanding on it as well.”

While at Indian Hills, Sash was instrumental in building the foundation of a revamped Indian Hills Men’s Basketball program alongside Plona. The Warriors combined for an .853 winning percentage over the two seasons, including a 14-2 ICCAC record. Indian Hills boasted a 39-4 mark at the historic Hellyer Center during that stretch.

“I also understand the tradition that makes men’s basketball one of the premiere junior college programs in the country,” Sash added. “As a native of southeast Iowa and an Indian Hills graduate, I’m excited to bring my family home to Indian Hills. This is truly, the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Following his time at Indian Hills, Sash spent two seasons as the assistant coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City from 2017-19 before taking over as head coach of the Des Moines Area Community College Men’s Basketball program for the 2019-20 season. Sash led the Bears to a 29-4 record, the ICCAC regular and postseason championships, and the No. 2 seed in the national tournament. For his efforts, Sash was named the NJCAA Region 11 Coach of the Year and guided five NJCAA All-Region 11 performers and four NJCAA All-Academic selections.

After one season at the helm of DMACC, Sash moved on to his most recent position at North Dakota State. Sash was part of a Bison staff that claimed three consecutive Summit League Tournament Championship game appearances. The Bison won 54 games over the previous three seasons, including 35 Summit League victories.

“Josh’s successful experiences at both the NJCAA and NCAA level will help Warrior Basketball continue to be seen as one of the top destinations for young men to continue their academic and athletic careers,” Monaghan added. “I look forward to watching him and his staff get to work, and can’t wait to see where his vision for Warrior Basketball takes us all. I am elated to have Josh, Analeigh, Tandon, Tayson, and Tru back in Southeast Iowa.”

Sash earned a Master of Science in Education in Effective Teaching from Drake University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education/Coaching from William Penn University. Sash also earned an Associates of Applied Science in Computer Programing/Analysis from Indian Hills in 2001.

Sash and his wife, Analeigh, have three sons – Tandon, Tayson, and Tru.

“Warrior Nation – the BEST fan base in all of junior college… LET’S GO!”

https://indianhillsathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/releases/20230508mxmk17