Wes Miller adds Johns Hopkins head coach to UC's Big 12 basketball staff

As the University of Cincinnati athletics program is less than a month away from being in the Big 12, the Bearcat basketball team has boosted its coaching staff with the hiring of Josh Loeffler from Johns Hopkins as an assistant to Wes Miller.

Johns Hopkins announced the move in a press release Friday morning.

"I'm excited to announce Josh Loeffler as a key addition to our staff," Miller said via press release. "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, 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.

Why add another coach?

The upcoming Big 12 landscape is an obvious reason but there's also the fact that the NCAA Division I Council voted in January to allow basketball staffs to increase by two. However, the two additional coaches are not permitted to recruit off-campus. The current UC staff now includes Miller, Loeffler, Associate Head Coach Chad Dollar, Assistant Andre Morgan, Chief of Staff Chris LePore, Director of Basketball Operations Jake Thelen, Associate AD/Men's Basketball Drew Adams, Associate AD/Sports Performance Mike Rehfeldt, Administrative and Basketball Operations Matt Miller in addition to grad assistants and managers.

Given turnover, some of these positions could shuffle.

Mike Roberts, who spent eight years with Miller at UNC-Greensboro and two with the Bearcats, has exited after the expiration of his two-year contract.

Where else has Loeffler been?

Prior to being head coach of Johns Hopkins for five seasons, he was an assistant at Loyola (Maryland) 2013-17, Director of Basketball Operations at Rutgers 2012-13, an assistant at Lafayette 2008-12, Head Coach at Stevens 2006-08, assistant at Williams College 2005-06, grad assistant at St. Lawrence University 2004-05 and an assistant at Hamilton College 2003-04.

Other accolades include Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Coach of the Year in 2018, D3hoops.com Middle Atlantic Coach of the Year in 2018, NABC Middle Atlantic Coach of the Year in 2018, Centennial Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 and NABC, D3hoops.com Atlantic Coach of the Year in 2007 at Stevens.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Wes Miller hires Johns Hopkins head coach as a UC Bearcat assistant