Ioane Leaves Willamette after 14 Years as Head Coach, Eight as Assistant

Kip Ioane, in the center of the photo, talks to the team during a timeout. — Kip Ioane (center) talks to the team during a timeout.

April 26, 2023

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Head Men's Basketball Coach Kip Ioane has left Willamette University after leading the Bearcats over the past 14 seasons from 2009-10 through 2022-23. Ioane also served as an assistant coach at Willamette for eight seasons from 2001-02 through 2008-09 and was a player for the Bearcats for four years from 1997-98 until 2000-01.

As a student-athlete at Willamette, Ioane was a two-year captain and earned a total of four letters. During his senior season, he was a finalist for the Josten's Trophy, given to the NCAA Division III men's basketball player of the year. Ioane earned a bachelor's degree from Willamette in 2001 and achieved a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) at WU in 2002.

After graduating, Ioane remained with the Bearcats as an assistant coach under Head Coach Gordie James. While serving as an assistant coach, he helped Willamette achieve five winning records, including a 19-7 mark in 2002-03. When James retired after 22 seasons, Ioane was named head coach. He led the Bearcats to the Northwest Conference Tournament in 2014-15.

Ioane was a teammate of two other Josten's Trophy finalists, Brad Nelson in 1998-99 and Shawn Gahr in 1999-00. He was an assistant coach for finalist Ryan Hepp in 2002-03, and was Willamette's head coach for finalists Cameron Mitchell in 2009-10, Sean Dart in 2012-13, and Jordan Jenkins in 2018-19.

During Ioane's years as the head coach five Bearcats completed their careers with more than 1,000 points. They were Mitchell (1,200 from 2007-10), Taylor Mounts (1,299 from 2008-12), Terrell Malley (1,242 from 2009-13), Jenkins (1,109 from 2015-19), and Jack Boydell (1,070 so far through the 2022-23 season).

In addition to coaching the Bearcats on the court, Ioane also worked to develop his player off the court. He created the Teams of Men character-building program focusing on responsible behavior, bystander intervention, and respect for others. Student-athletes completed the program with a capstone project, speaking before a high school team about what they learned.

The Bearcats compete in NCAA Division III and the Northwest Conference. Willamette has begun a nationwide search for the next head coach of the men's basketball team.