Indiana native Chad Killinger is returning home. The coaching veteran, formerly assistant coach at Nicholls State University, has been named the ninth women’s basketball coach in Indiana State history, ISU Director of Athletics Sherard Clinkscales announced Tuesday.
Killinger will be introduced at a press conference at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday, April 27, in the Hulman Center. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it will be open to invited guests and media only but will be live streamed on Indiana State Athletics social media channels.
Killinger, a former national coach of the year for two-year colleges, had a 9-2 record as interim head coach at East Carolina University in 2018. He served as recruiting coordinator at Nicholls State and helped the Colonels rank in the top-50 nationally in six statistical categories.
Throughout his 25-year coaching career, Killinger has held nearly every position possible in a collegiate basketball program, from student-assistant coach, to assistant coach, to junior college head coach and now Division I head coach.
“I am pleased that Chad has decided to lead the Indiana State women’s basketball program,” Clinkscales said. “He views this job as a destination based on the history of success and the strong affinity that he and his family have for the community. Chad is a seasoned leader who loves teaching the game and he understands and embraces the challenge of building a championship program in our highly competitive conference. I am confident that our program will be in good hands for years to come.”
Killinger said he “couldn’t be more excited” to become ISU’s head coach.
“The history of basketball in Indiana is rich and includes conference championships and postseason appearances by the Sycamore women’s basketball program,” Killinger said. “My family and I look forward to returning to my home state after a 22-year journey that has given us countless memories and experiences to prepare us for this moment.”
“I want to thank (ISU President) Dr. Curtis, Sherard Clinkscales and (Senior Associate Athletic Director) Angie Lansing for embracing the vision we have for the women’s basketball program and the importance of the total student-athlete experience. There are several great things happening around Indiana State University and we look forward to contributing to the future of the university and the community of Terre Haute.”
Before joining the staff at Nicholls State, Killinger spent one season at East Carolina University as an assistant coach. Prior to East Carolina, Killinger spent seven seasons as the head women’s basketball coach at Moberly Area Community College in Missouri. Killinger had a 147-71 record at Moberly. It was the most wins and the highest winning percentage in NJCAA Region 16 during that time.
In 2017-2018, Killinger guided Moberly to one of the best seasons in program history, with a 32-1 record and No. 4 ranking nationally. Killinger was named the U.S. Marine Corps/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Two-Year College National Coach of the Year; MCCAC Coach of the Year; and NJCAA Region 16 and District K Coach of the Year.
At Mobley, Killinger coached one WBCA All-American; one second-team NJCAA All-American; one third-team NJCAA All-American; four WBCA honorable mention All-Americans; and one NJCAA honorable mention All-American.
Prior to Moberly, Killinger served as an assistant coach at Marshall University. Before that, he was head women’s basketball coach at Lincoln Trail College in Illinois. Killinger led the team to unprecedented success, with a 91-36 record and winning seasons in each of his four years. Lincoln Trail won the school’s first conference championship in 2009-10.
Prior to his time at Lincoln Trail College, Killinger served for three years as head women’s basketball coach and assistant men’s basketball coach at Jacksonville College in Texas. Before arriving at Jacksonville, Killinger served as the assistant men’s basketball coach at Lincoln Trail College for four years.
Killinger began his coaching career as a student assistant and volunteer assistant at Franklin College in Indiana. While working towards his bachelor’s degree at Franklin, Killinger also served as a coach for the Bloomington Red AAU Basketball program, which was widely considered as one of the top AAU programs in the Midwest.
Killinger earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Athletic Training from Franklin College in December of 1997 and earned his Master of Sports Science degree in Sports Management from the United States Sports Academy in July of 2003.
Killinger and his wife, Rachael, who competed at Indiana University in basketball and track, have three daughters, Josiah (15), Noah (10), and Micah (5), and three sons, Isaiah (21), Elijah (13), and Moses (9).
Photo Courtesy ISU Athletics
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