Point Park University Director of Athletics John Ashaolu has announced the hiring of Kevin Reynolds as the next men’s basketball head coach for the Pioneers.
“Our athletic department and the men’s basketball program got a lot better today with the addition of Kevin Reynolds as our head coach,” said Ashaolu. “Kevin’s proven track record of recruiting talent, developing student-athletes and building championship basketball programs stood out amongst an impressive group of candidates who applied for our men’s basketball head coaching position.
“Kevin has been a part of a lot of winning programs as an assistant coach and a head coach at the NCAA Division I and II levels. This provides him with instant credibility that will impact the competitive success and culture within our men’s basketball program.
“He is highly respected amongst his peers, and his experience as a head coach in one of the most competitive NCAA Division II conferences will position us to immediately compete for championships in the River States Conference. We are excited to welcome Kevin to the team.”
Reynolds is the seventh head coach in Point Park men’s basketball history. The program was established in 1967-68 and has a record of 756-727 (.509) in its 55 years competing in the NAIA. The Pioneers have made the NAIA National Tournament five times, including an NAIA Division I Final Four in 1996-97 and the most recent appearance in 2006-07.
Reynolds replaces Joe Lewandowski, who resigned in March after four seasons as head coach from 2018-22.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to be the men’s basketball head coach at Point Park University,” said Reynolds. “President Dr. Don Green, Vice President of Student Affairs Keith Paylo, and Director of Athletics John Ashaolu have a unified, new game plan for the men’s basketball program and Point Park University athletics.
“It is going to be an exciting time to be a part of the Pioneers team. We plan on working together to accomplish our goals for Point Park basketball.”
Most recently, Reynolds was assistant coach at NCAA Division II Quincy (Ill.) University for the 2021-22 season. Before that, he was the on staff at NCAA Division I Texas A&M Corpus Christi for two years from 2019-21.
Reynolds is best known for his time at Slippery Rock University. There he led one of the biggest turnarounds in NCAA Division II in 10 years from 2008-18. Reynolds had a record of 188-109 (.632) at The Rock with three NCAA Tournament appearances and six 20-win seasons.
Reynolds took over the Slippery Rock program in 2008-09 and proceeded to make The Rock a contender in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The Rock had single-digit wins in 13 of the previous 14 years before Reynolds’ arrival. Reynolds turned things around with an average of 18.8 wins per season in his tenure.
The 188 wins in 10 years at Slippery Rock were an increase of 112 wins from the previous 10-year period before he arrived. That was the fifth-biggest turnaround in all of NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball during that time.
In over 100 years of Slippery Rock basketball, there have been nine seasons of 20 or more wins. Reynolds engineered six of those. One of those was his very first year of 2008-09 with a 21-8 record.
Slippery Rock made the NCAA Tournament in Reynolds’ third season of 2010-11. The Rock made nationals again in 2012-13 and 2014-15. In the last two of those appearances, Slippery Rock advanced to the second round.
Reynolds coached and recruited 17 All-PSAC selections in his 10 years at Slippery Rock. There were also seven All-Atlantic Region selections and three NCAA Division II All-Americans.
Reynolds had 56 student-athletes and/or managers earn undergraduate degrees and 16 earn graduate degrees during his Slippery Rock tenure. There were also 18 players who signed professional basketball contracts.
Reynolds got his start in coaching as an assistant at Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 1991-95 with some very successful teams under Kurt Kanaskie. He was a part of IUP’s rise to national prominence with Elite 8 and Final Four appearances and a record of 56-5 from 1993-95.
He was an assistant at Edinboro under Greg Walcavich for one year in 1995-96, which was a trip to the NCAA Tournament. He went back to IUP for the 1996-97 for a year as Associate Head Coach under Gary Edwards.
Reynolds then went to NCAA Division I Drake University to rejoin Kanaskie’s staff as an assistant from 1997-03. After a year as director of basketball operations at Penn State, Reynolds stayed NCAA Division I as assistant coach at the University of Denver from 2004-07. That stint included time as interim head coach in 2007. Reynolds was an assistant at Division I Morehead State in 2007-08 before taking over the Slippery Rock program the next fall.
Reynolds is a 1991 graduate of Bloomsburg (Pa.) University and a 1993 and 1994 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with an MBA and an MA in Industrial and Labor Relations.
Reynolds played men’s basketball at Bloomsburg under coach Charlie Chronister, one of the winningest coaches in NCAA Division II history with 559 career victories.
“Point Park University has an excellent academic reputation with a close-knit campus,” said Reynolds. “It provides an excellent combination of quality academics and winning athletics.”
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT KEVIN REYNOLDS
“Kevin Reynolds is simply an outstanding coach and leader. He is a tireless worker and brings out the best in his players and staff. It will be fun to watch Point Park University rise to national prominence!”
–Kurt Kanaskie, UNC Wilmington
“Kevin Reynolds is the complete package — experience and wisdom, knowledge of the game, and a full understanding of what it takes to motivate and coach today’s players. He has been a winner at every level, and he will bring those same attributes to Point Park University.”
–Willis Wilson, Former Head Coach at Rice and Texas A&M Corpus Christi
“Point Park University has hit a grand slam with the hiring of Kevin Reynolds as the next men’s basketball head coach. He is a winner and shortly so they will be big winners in Western Pennsylvania men’s basketball. The men’s basketball culture will change in a hurry. Coach Reynolds will bring a passion for the game rarely seen, and his tireless work ethic will touch every facet of the program. From recruiting near and far to highly organized practice sessions, to creative game plans and an enjoyable style of play.
-Greg Walcavich, Former Head Coach at Edinboro University
“Kevin is a great basketball mind and an even better person. The opportunity to learn under him early in my career was a formative experience. Point Park University basketball is in excellent hands.”
-Joe Cronin, General Manager, Portland Trail Blazers
