In a press conference on Tuesday (June 17) morning, John Brown University and Director of Athletics Robyn Daugherty announced the hiring of Jason Beschta as the institution’s 10th head men’s basketball coach in program history at the Simmons Great Hall on the campus of JBU.

“I am humbled and thankful for the opportunity to join JBU as the next head men’s basketball coach,” admitted Beschta. “It is a privilege to be a part of a university that is well known for its rich traditions of excellence in both academics and athletics. Throughout the interview process, I have enjoyed getting to know Robyn (Daugherty) and the other coaches, faculty and staff which make John Brown University such a special place. I want to thank Robyn, Dr. Steve Beers and Dr. Chip Pollard for allowing me to serve in this role at JBU.

“My wife Becca and my son Gage are excited to begin this next chapter of our lives in Siloam Springs.”

Beschta will take over a Golden Eagle program that finished the 2013-14 season with a 21-11 record and a 10-10 mark in Sooner Athletic Conference play. John Brown was coming off the program’s first-ever SAC regular season championship in 2012-13 and finished the season with an appearance in the Round of 16 at the NAIA National Championships.

“John Brown University is excited to have Jason as our next head coach,” Daugherty said. “He is a coach who is passionate about student-athlete development on and off the floor and he is committed to continuing the success of the JBU basketball program through recruiting players committed to hard work on the court and in the classroom.

“As Jason interviewed, it was clear that his belief in the holistic development of the student-athlete in all areas would be the foundation of the program under his leadership.”

Most recently, Beschta was tabbed as the head coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan University from 2011-2014. During his three-year tenure, Beschta increased his squad’s win total each season beginning with a 16-16 mark in 2011-12. The Eagles’ 8-6 mark in Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference action was good enough for a second-place finish. The following season, Beschta’s team continued its improvement by five victories, ending the 2012-13 campaign at 21-10 and 12-4 in conference play.

Finally, in his third year at the helm, OKWU experienced a breakout season, notching a 25-10 (12-2) record, which featured an MCAC regular season co-championship and a conference tournament finalist finish, landing the Eagles an at-large berth to the 2014 NAIA Division II National Championships, its fifth appearance in the big dance in program history. At the national tournament, Wesleyan knocked off then-No. 12 Morningside (Iowa) in the Round of 32 before falling in the Round of 16 to eventual national champion, Indiana Wesleyan. For his efforts in the 2013-14 season, Beschta was named the MCAC Coach of the Year.

Beschta accumulated an overall record of 62-36 (.633) while at Oklahoma Wesleyan and notched an even more impressive 32-12 mark (.727) in MCAC play. He also coached four MCAC All-Conference honorees, two of which landed on the MCAC first team. Additionally, Beschta produced one conference Player of the Year, one NAIA All-America first teamer and one selection to the inaugural NAIA All-Star Game in 2014. In the classroom, Beschta’s squad landed five players on the MCAC All-Academic team while two garnered NAIA Scholar-Athlete accolades.

Prior to Oklahoma Wesleyan, Beschta spent three seasons as the assistant coach at Cedarville (Ohio). The trio of campaigns saw great success for the Yellow Jackets. From 2008-2011, Beschta and CU won a share of a regular season championship, an American Mideast Conference tournament title and three trips to the NAIA Division II National Championships. Cedarville posted a combined 3-3 record in national tournament play while Beschta accumulated a 73-26 (.737) mark while assisting head coach Pat Estepp. The Yellow Jackets performed even better during AMC play, notching a 39-8 mark (.829) against conference opposition.

The individual accolades for Beschta’s players at Cedarville continued to mount as one NAIA All-America second team, two NAIA Honorable Mentions, six All-Conference winners and one All-Freshman Team recipient earned honors under his guidance.

Beschta began his coaching career with his alma mater, Bryan (Tenn.), as the lead assistant coach for the 2001-02 season. While the Lions could only manage a 12-19 mark entering the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament, Bryan made an unprecedented run to the AAC conference tournament finals, finishing the season as winners in three of its final four contests.

After one season with Bryan, Beschta quickly made his way to the big stage as a graduate assistant at Baylor (Texas). There with the Big 12 squad, he assisted with preseason player development, coordinated film exchange and breakdown, prepared scouting reports and team preparation, scheduling recruiting efforts and overseeing the squad’s budgeting, team travel, scheduling, equipment and inventory.

Beschta then headed north for four seasons as an assistant coach at NCAA II Minnesota State University at Moorhead from 2004-2008. With the Dragons, he led recruiting efforts and assisted head coach Stu Engen with coaching efforts, game strategy, practice planning, player development, team travel organization, tape exchange, advanced scouting, film breakdown and NCAA compliance efforts.

Before earning his graduate degree from Baylor in sports pedagogy in 2004, Beschta pieced together a stellar playing career during his undergraduate time at Bryan. As a Lion, he finished second in program history in both career points (2,138) and career triples made (432). Beschta also served as team captain for two seasons and earned All-Conference accolades on a trio of occasions while landing a pair of NAIA All-America Honorable Mention honors. While finishing his degree in exercise science, and graduating cum laude, he led the Lions to the program’s first-ever Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament title and appearance in the NAIA National Championships in 2000.

Beschta and his wife, Becca, have one son, Gage, and will soon reside in Siloam Springs.

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