Following up on last night’s report…Cincinnati has officially named Johns Hopkins head coach as their newest assistant. Here’s the release from UC:
Cincinnati head men’s basketball coach Wes Miller announced on Friday the hiring of Josh Loeffler as an assistant coach.
Loeffler, a native of West Grove, Pa., was previously the head coach at Johns Hopkins, where he held a 114-27 record in five seasons (2020-21 canceled due to COVID). He earned his second NABC Region 5 Coach of the Year honor this past season, helping the Blue Jays to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2015 and second-straight Centennial Conference regular-season title.
Loeffler in 2017 was tasked with replacing 31-year veteran and Hopkins Hall of Famer Bill Nelson, and he immediately led the Blue Jays to an eight-win improvement and their first NCAA Tourney in three years. Loeffler’s 114 victories rank second in program history that also includes the legendary Jim Valvano.
“I’m excited to announce Josh Loeffler as a key addition to our staff,” Miller said. “He brings a strong head coaching resume to go with a wealth of experience at the Division I level. Josh is one of the bright young minds of college basketball. He thinks and teaches the game with detail and creativity. He also brings a lot of experience working closely with campus leaders and support staff. I believe he is a great addition to our coaching staff as we move to the Big 12.”
Loeffler spent nine years at the Division I level before coming to Johns Hopkins. He was an assistant coach at Loyola (Md.) from 2013-17 after spending the 2012-13 campaign at Rutgers as its Director of Operations. Before that, he was a four-year assistant at Lafayette (2008-12).
Johns Hopkins was not his first head coaching experience, either. Loeffler served at the helm for Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J. (2006-08), where he guided the Ducks to a school-record 23 wins (23-7) and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, earning NABC and D3hoops.com Atlantic Coach of the Year honors. The following year, Loeffler led Stevens to a 23-6 record, tying the program record for wins in a season and setting the record for best win percentage (.793).
His first assistant stops included Williams (2005-06), St. Lawrence (2004-05, grad assistant) and Hamilton (2003-04).
Loeffler is a 2003 graduate of Swarthmore College, earning an economics degree. He was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter for the Garnet men’s basketball team, while playing one year of football as well. Loeffler is married to the former Helen Leitner, a 2004 Swarthmore graduate and member of the field hockey team. They have two daughters, Alison and Margot.
