When the final horn sounds on the 2022-23 season, it will mark the end of a historic era of Jessup Men’s Basketball. Lance Von Vogt, who took the job ahead of the 2013-2014 season, has announced he will be stepping down at the end of the year to focus on his duties as Jessup’s Director of Athletics.
“I’ve been blessed over the past ten years to lead the men’s basketball program at Jessup,” said Von Vogt. “To see the growth that we’ve accomplished together, the number of relationships that have been forged, the brotherhood that’s been created, and the successes and the failures that we’ve been able to share together is something that means the world to me, and I’ll never forget.”
Von Vogt’s time leading the program has seen the program’s greatest seasons since joining the NAIA. The Warriors have earned a national ranking in eight consecutive seasons and will be fighting for their fourth trip under Von Vogt to the NAIA National Tournament this weekend at the GSAC Tournament.
Once this season ends, Von Vogt will shift his focus to the next journey. Jessup has officially accepted an invitation to join the Pac West Conference of NCAA Division II. An official application to join the NCAA was submitted earlier this month, and the university now awaits a site visit as the next step in the application process.
Once accepted, the Warriors would become a provisional NCAA Division II program in the fall of 2023, officially beginning NCAA competition in the fall of 2024.
On that move, Von Vogt added, “The opportunity to move into full-time administration and lead the charge for our athletic department and our university as we transition into NCAA Division II is something that I feel God’s calling me to. I have not lost my passion for coaching basketball, but this is the appropriate time to make the move and be a part of the transition to NCAA Division II.”
Jessup President Dr. John Jackson spoke of why Von Vogt is the man to lead Jessup through this next phase, offering, “I am particularly encouraged to have Lance take this step in giving greater focus towards the expansion of excellence and depth to Jessup Athletics.”
Jessup, who will be competing in their ninth GSAC Tournament under Von Vogt, was a destination Von Vogt and his family felt called to ten years ago. Before coming to Rocklin, Von Vogt served as the head coach at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Wash. Now ten years later, he hopes the foundation he laid allows the position he vacates to be an attractive one for interested candidates.
“It’s proven that you can be successful at Jessup,” added Von Vogt. “It’s proven that the university’s administration supports athletics in a big way. You see the growth, moving from the Cal Pac to the GSAC, and then the successes that we’ve had in one of the top NAIA conferences in the country. And then you see the progression of us moving to NCAA Division II.”
Dr. Jackson reiterated the support of Von Vogt, adding, “Lance has led our men’s basketball team to stellar results, but now is ready and equipped to bring the full measure of his gifts to broader responsibilities. I am confident in Lance and in the future of Jessup Athletics.”
It truly is a night and day difference at Jessup from when Von Vogt first stepped on campus in 2013. Jessup was a member of the California Pacific Conference back then, jumping to the GSAC in July 2014.
Now with ambitions to make the next leap, Von Vogt wants to ensure the next coach is the right fit for the program and the university.
“We’re going to be looking for the best candidate that fits the mission of the University, which is one of Christ-centered education first, and then using basketball and athletics as a tool to reach young men and be able to display the competitive spirit in Christ-like behavior.”
“If you’re a coach that is growth-minded, and you’re a Christian, and you’re passionate about pairing up your faith with your competitive spirit and basketball, then I think Jessup is going to appeal to that type of coach because it’s that good of an opportunity. I think it’s one of the best opportunities in the country.”
There have been many milestone moments over the past ten years. On March 17, 2016, Von Vogt led a seventh-seeded Jessup team to an upset win over Pikeville, the first National Tournament victory in program history. He’s coached two First-Team All-Americans, guided the program to two GSAC Championship Game appearances, and surpassed 290 total wins over his 16 years as a head basketball coach.
But it’s not the wins he wants to be remembered for. It’s the relationships.
“I don’t really think in terms of legacy for me. The legacy is the players that move on to graduate and what they do with their lives after they leave Jessup. We always talk about the brotherhood and being there for a lifetime. It’s not a four-year relationship, but it’s a 40-year relationship. And I think what I’m most proud of is that we’ve developed some really deep relationships.”
Von Vogt and the Warriors will begin their fight for a GSAC Championship on Thursday when they take on Hope International. Should they win three games this weekend, Jessup will earn an automatic bid to the NAIA Opening Round.
The end is near, but Von Vogt and the Warriors hope to push back that final date as long as possible.
Jessup Athletics will target posting the head coach vacancy to interested candidates within the next week. Interested candidates can apply through Jessup’s online job portal and other sites that will be announced upon posting.
