Trailblazer basketball welcomes James Kingsley to coaching staff

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University men's basketball program made another addition earlier this week, this time in the hiring of new Assistant Coach James Kingsley.

"Growing up in Bloomfield, I had always heard of the success and rich history that VU basketball had," Kingsley said. "It always seemed like Vincennes was making deep tournament runs and sending players to Division I programs. My wife, Lauren, graduated from the nursing program in 2016 and I remember being fixated on the championship banners in the gym during the ceremony. Seven years down the road, Coach Brian Davis announced that VU was looking for another assistant. I sent in my resume and within a few days I had an offer to join the program. I didn't really need to put too much thought into whether or not I was going to accept. I mean, come on! VU is one of the top NJCAA programs in the country and Coach Todd Franklin is a Hall-of-Famer. Lauren and I are back home and close to friends and family. It was a no-brainer to become a coach here."

Kingsley joins the VU staff after spending last season as an assistant coach at NAIA Texas A&M-Texarkana, where he helped guide the Eagles to a 22-9 record and an appearance in the NAIA National Tournament.

Kingsley is originally from Bloomfield, Ind., where he played under head coach Matt Britton. Britton would later give Kingsley his first coaching job in 2019 as a freshman coach at South Spencer High School in Reo, Ind.

Kingsley worked his way up through the coaching staff at South Spencer, later becoming a varsity assistant and a JV coach.

During his time with the at South Spencer, the Rebels had a 58-14 record, winning a 2A sectional championship in 2020 and a Pocket Athletic Conference Championship in 2022.

"Growing up in a basketball-rich town like Bloomfield, I had a love for the game very early on," Kingsley said. "Around 14 years old, I decided I wanted to coach collegiately. My coach at Bloomfield, Matt Britton, was a huge influence on my decision to coach. When I was a senior in high school, he told me to reach out after I graduated from USI and he would try to help me find a spot. Five years later, he made good on that promise and hired me to be his freshman coach/varsity assistant at South Spencer. I was on the staff there for three seasons, going from freshman coach to varsity assistant and lastly JV Coach. Coach Britton has been a huge influence on my career and where the game has taken me."

Kingsley will be working alongside VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin, who will be entering his 27th season as head coach at the collegiate level and 14th season as head coach at Vincennes University.

Kingsley will also work alongside Assistant Coach Brian Davis, entering his 19th season at Vincennes University. Davis was named one of the 50 most impactful coaches in all of Junior College basketball by  Silver Waves Media and was named the top assistant coach in the NJCAA by Basketball Scoop in 2020.

"I am looking forward to being a part of the winning culture here at VU," Kingsley added. "Coach Franklin and Coach Davis have set the standard. I want to help Vincennes achieve their fifth NJCAA National Championship. More importantly, I am excited to make a positive impact on the lives of the players. Being around the guys and being a positive influence for them is the best thing about coaching. I look forward to being a part of the VU community. Since I started, everyone has been extremely nice and welcoming."

"I am incredibly excited to be back coaching in Southern Indiana," Kingsley said. "'In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana', so to be able to represent one of the best programs in the country, while being back home will be an incredible experience. I am very excited to be back home. Having friends and family watch me coach at the collegiate level for the first time is something I'm very much looking forward to."

Kingsley is a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana, where he received a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and a master's degree in Sports Management.

Kingsley also holds certifications in personal training from the American Council of Exercise.

James and his wife Lauren have been married for five years and have a golden retriever named Duff.

The Vincennes University Athletic Department is proud to welcome Coach James Kingsley and wishes him good luck this upcoming season.