I mentioned this move in the DAILY DIRT back on 3/10 – it’s now official. Abilene Christian assistant Doug Karleskint has been named as the head coach at D2 UT Tyler. Here’s the official announcement from the school:
UT Tyler Athletics has announced that Doug Karleskint has been named the next head coach of the UT Tyler men’s basketball program.
“We could not be more excited to welcome Coach Karleskint to UT Tyler,” UT Tyler Director of Athletics Dr. Sam Ferguson said. “Doug is a proven leader who embodies our department’s values and understands how to build a championship culture. He will connect strongly with our campus and community while positioning our program to compete for Lone Star Conference titles. Just as important, Doug is an outstanding man who leads with integrity and is deeply committed to developing young men beyond the game. He fully embraces our mission of shaping student-athletes into champions in character, competition, and career. The future of UT Tyler men’s basketball is incredibly bright, and we are proud to welcome Doug, his wife Kyla, and their sons Jadin and Jack to the Patriot community.”
Karleskint comes to UT Tyler on the heels of serving as an assistant coach for Abilene Christian since March of 2023. During his tenure with the Wildcats, he helped develop WAC Defensive Player of the Year in Rich Smith, First Team member Bradyn Hubbard, All-Freshman Team honoree Dontrez Williams, and Second Team member Ali Abdou Dibba. Karleskint was instrumental in the ACU defensive game planning, a top-five defensive unit nationally.
Karleskint developed a strong connection to the Abilene community during his time at ACU, organizing and executing community engagement events for the program. That work was key to enhancing the visibility of the ACU program in the community and helped facilitate revenue generation that yielded more than $100,000 of NIL funds annually.
“I am honored and humbled to be selected as the next men’s basketball coach at UT Tyler,” Karleskint said. “I cannot thank Dr. Julie Philley and Dr. Sam Ferguson enough for their confidence and trust in giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity. Our family is excited to be a part of the Tyler community, and we look forward to building a program our fans and alumni can be proud of. Let’s get to work.”
Prior to his time with the Wildcats, Karleskint served as the head coach for Central Missouri and Arkansas Tech. He was with the Mules from 2014-23, amassing a 135-119 overall record while coaching them to 23 All-MIAA selections and three seasons of 20 or more wins. In the 2014-15 season, he posted a 25-win season, the most by a first-year head coach in program history and also guided the team to the NCAA Round of 32. He was also instrumental in creating both the MuleBallMasters annual fundraising golf tournament and “No Shave November” to raise money for the Johnson County Cancer Foundation.
He served with the Wonder Boys at Arkansas Tech from 2009-2014, including the last four seasons as the head coach. He went 90-34 there, along with winning three conference coach of the year awards, four straight regular season GAC championships, and made four straight appearances into the NCAA Tournament. In 2012 he guided the program to the GAC Tournament Championship and followed that up with the team’s first ever appearance in the NCAA Sweet 16. He coached 11 total All-GAC performers at Arkansas Tech, including one GAC Player of the Year, one GAC Defender of the Year, one GAC Newcomer of the Year, and an All-American.
Prior to his tenure at Arkansas Tech, he served as an assistant coach for two seasons at Division I Stephen F. Austin, under Lumberjack legend Danny Kaspar. The Jacks went a combined 50-14 over those two seasons and won a pair of Southland Conference regular season titles, advancing to the NIT and the NCAA Tournament in those seasons.
He served as a graduate assistant at Division II Northwest Missouri State from 2005-07, helping the program to a 46-17 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
What others are saying about Coach Karleskint:
Brette Tanner, Head Coach, Abilene Christian Men’s Basketball
“Doug is an elite basketball coach. It won’t take long for the Tyler community to fall in love with him. He will be missed here but I can’t wait to watch this next chapter for him and his family.”
Ben McCollum, Head Coach, Iowa Men’s Basketball
“I have coached against and known Doug for years. He is a coach that cares deeply for the players he coaches and will have a great understanding of what it means to be a championship team! This is a big time hire for the UT Tyler Men’s Basketball program!”
Matt Riccardi, Co-General Manager, Dallas Mavericks
“It’s been a pleasure for me to get to know Coach Karleskint and an honor to welcome him to the Patriot family. I am fully confident that he will be able to bring a level of excitement to the program and help us compete on a national level at UT Tyler.”
Richie Riley, Head Coach, South Alabama Men’s Basketball
“I’ve known Doug for 20 years and watched him grind as hard as anyone in this profession. Doug is a relentless worker and detailed evaluator. Those qualities make him as good of a recruiter as there is in the country. His teams have always played with discipline and creative execution. UT Tyler hit a home run with this hire.”
Michael Fly, General Manager, Florida State Men’s Basketball
“I have known Doug for more than 20 years and in the time, he’s proven himself to be a great coach and an extremely hard worker. He will be a constant presence in the community and on the recruiting trail. Great hire!”
Chris Richardson, Head Coach, Wheeling Men’s Basketball
“I am thrilled for Doug and his family. This is a great day for UT Tyler. Doug is a great coach and a better man. His teams will play with a blue-collar mentality on both ends of the floor. He will pour himself into relationships with his players, the UT Tyler campus, and the Tyler community.”
