 Darren Hertz
Alma Mater: Florida '97
Overall Record: 0-0 (First Year)
Record at Wittenberg: 0-0 (First Year)
Darren Hertz was introduced as the new head coach of Wittenberg Men's Basketball in September 2024. Hertz, who had been an assistant coach at the University of Dayton since 2017, succeeded Matt Croci '94, who was named director of athletics at Wilmington College.
"I am thrilled and humbled to be the next head coach at Wittenberg University," Hertz said. "I would like to thank President Michael Frandsen and Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Brian Agler for their trust and belief in me to lead this historic program. Wittenberg's tradition as the winningest D3 program in the country speaks for itself. I'm beyond excited to get started and continue to build on the tradition that is Wittenberg hoops. Tiger Up!"
Hertz brought with him more than 25 years of experience as a college men's basketball coach, including 19 seasons at his alma mater, the University of Florida, working for current Chicago Bulls Head Coach Billy Donovan. He got his coaching start as a student assistant at Florida, and he went on to hold various titles, including video coordinator, assistant to the head coach, and director of basketball operations. The Gators totaled 467 wins, two national championships, four Final Fours, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, six Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular season championships and four SEC tournament titles during Hertz's 19 years on staff.
After leaving Florida, Hertz spent two years at the University of Illinois as special assistant to the head coach for current Akron University Head Coach John Groce. In his second season at Illinois, the Illini made a run to the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
from 2017-24, Hertz was an assistant coach at the University of Dayton, working for Head Coach Anthony Grant. Hertz helped the Flyers earn a berth in the NCAA Division I Tournament in 2023-24 while compiling a 25-8 overall record. He was also part of Dayton's historic 2019-20 season in which the Flyers went 29-2, were ranked No. 3 in the country, and were projected to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended the season.
In his career, Hertz has helped coach and mentor more than 30 players who have played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and many more who have played professional basketball elsewhere around the world. The most recent players he has coached that have reached the NBA are former Flyers Obi Toppin, Jalen Crutcher, Toumani Camara, and DaRon Holmes II.
Hertz is a native of Miami, Florida. He was an All-Dade County point guard as a senior at Miami Killian High School. Hertz earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Florida in 1997 and a master's degree in sport management from UF in 2001. He and wife Julie have two children, Brandon (14) and Lexi (12).
"We are excited that Coach Hertz is leading our program into our future. Darren comes highly recommended, and when meeting with our campus staff, the committee, athletics staff, and team members, he was extremely impressive," said Wittenberg Director of Athletics and Recreation Brian Agler. "I'm confident Darren will hit the ground running and is motivated to extend our strong tradition of highly respected and successful basketball into this season and beyond."
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 Melissa Kolbe
Alma Mater: Wittenberg '99
Overall Record: 40-12 (2 Years)
Record at Wittenberg: 40-12 (2 Years)
Wittenberg University Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation, Brian Agler '80, announced the appointment of Melissa Kolbe '99 as the 11th Head Women's Basketball Coach in program history. Kolbe, who has spent the last four seasons as the associate head coach at the University of Cincinnati, will officially begin her tenure with the Tigers on May 1, 2022.
"I am honored to be named the next head women's basketball coach at my alma mater," Kolbe said. "Wittenberg University, and specifically this program, has been instrumental in my growth both personally and professionally, and I am ecstatic at the opportunity to give back to the next generation of Tigers."
In her time at UC, she helped coach the 2020-21 American Athletic Conference (AAC) Player of the Year IImar'I Thomas, who received all 50 voting points from the league's coaches to be the only conference player to earn unanimous first-team All-AAC honors for the second consecutive season. Thomas also earned national player of the week honors from the Unites States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) after she set the UC women's basketball record and the AAC record for most points in a game when she poured in 51 points to go with 12 rebounds at East Carolina on Feb. 24.
"We are excited to welcome Melissa back to Wittenberg University. She brings a wealth of excellent collegiate coaching experience and we couldn't be happier to welcome her to our team," Agler said. "She knows a lot about and is extremely passionate about Wittenberg University, and I am confident that she will continue to build our women's basketball program so it can reach great potential in the future."
Prior to arriving at UC in April 2018, Kolbe spent three seasons at Western Kentucky University, where she helped lead the Lady Toppers to 78 total wins, two Conference USA Tournament Championships, and back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Other Previous DI coaching stints include time at Mount Saint Mary's (2014-15), Eastern Kentucky (2008-14), and East Carolina University (2002-08).
"The success Tamika Williams-Jeter led this program to last year is an exciting foundation that I am looking forward to building on and Brian Agler's vision for the future of Wittenberg Athletics is inspiring and one I cannot wait to be a part of," Kolbe said. "This is a full circle moment, being able to walk the sidelines that Pam Evans Smith walked when I played. I can't wait to get back on campus and get to work!"
Kolbe began her intercollegiate coaching journey immediately following her senior year at Wittenberg as she joined the staff at NCAA Division II Valdosta State (GA) for the 99-00 and 00-01 seasons. She then made the jump to the NCAA Division 1 level for the 2001-02 season at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.
Kolbe, who was named a Wittenberg team captain during her senior season, remains fifth on the program's career field goal percentage list after knocking down 271-of-530 (.511) shot attempts during her four-year playing career in Springfield. She was also voted the team's Most Outstanding Player during the 1998-99 season and capped her senior campaign by receiving a first-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) nod. During her four-year career, she helped lead the Tigers to three NCAC Championships (96, 98 & 99), two NCAC Tournament Championships (96 & 98) and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament (96 & 98).
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