RJ Evans was named AIC's Head Men's Basketball Coach on April 13, 2026. He will lead all aspects of the program.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Years: 2026-present (head coach)
Career Record:Â 0-0, 0-0 NE10
AIC Record:Â Same
Previous Stops: Northern Kentucky, 2024-26Â (assistant coach);Â Holy Cross, 2019-2024Â (assistant coach); North Carolina-Ashville, 2018-19Â (assistant coach); Louisville, 2017-18Â (assistant coach);Â Texas, 2015-17Â (graduate assistant coach); Nichols, 2014-15Â (assistant coach);
Evans comes to AIC from Northern Kentucky University, where he served as the lead assistant for the NCAA Division I program from 2024-2026.
At Northern Kentucky, Evans led the defensive and personnel strategy on a squad that reached the Horizon League semifinals in 2025-26 and had the second-best scoring margin in the conference at plus-5.7 points per game; the baseline offense that he ran averaged 1.21 points per possession, top-20 in NCAA Division I.
He was responsible in particular for developing the wing players, and under his tutelage Donovan Oday was Second-Team All-Conference and Tae Dozier earned All-Defensive Team.
Prior to his time at Northern Kentucky, Evans coached five seasons at his alma mater, the College of the Holy Cross, from 2019-2024. He led visit strategy during recruiting, including presentations and stakeholder communications, and was responsible for developing the bigs with the Crusaders, helping Gerrale Gates earn three All-Patriot League selections and Caleb Kenney garner Defensive Player of the Year. He additionally spearheaded an alumni mentorship program that helped graduating student-athletes find employment.
Evans' experience also includes a season at the University of Louisville, where he mentored two players who went on to reach the NBA in Deng Adel and Ray Spalding, two years as a graduate assistant at the University of Texas, helping the Longhorns reach the NCAA Tournament, and one season at Nichols College, helping the Bison to a conference title and a Player of the Year selection.
A 2012 graduate of Holy Cross with a degree in economics, Evans scored 1,200 points, 477 rebounds, 214 assists, and 130 steals with the Crusaders. He garnered the 2009 Patriot League Rookie of the Year Award and was a captain as a senior; he played one additional season at the University of Connecticut in 2012-13, earning a master's in educational psychology. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in international business from Durham University in the United Kingdom, and a second master's in general kinesiology from the University of Texas.
