Ford Names Uken Director of Basketball Operations
9/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Former Chipola Assistant Coach joins KSU staff
KENT, Ohio Kent State men's basketball Head Coach Geno Ford has announced the hiring of Jaden Uken as director of basketball operations. Uken joins the Golden Flashes after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Chipola (Fla.) College.
“Jaden is a great addition to our staff,” said Ford, “His previous experience at the Division I and junior college level are an asset that will enable us to continue running a championship caliber program.”
No stranger to national success on the court, Uken helped guide Chipola to runner-up finish in the 2007 NJCAA national tournament and a 68-5 overall record. With a school record 35-2 mark in 2008, the Indians claimed their second straight NJCAA Region VIII and Panhandle Conference championships. In addition to his duties as an assistant coach he also held a vast range of off the court responsibilities that were an integral part of the program's top five national ranking throughout his two year stint.
During Uken's tenure in Florida, Chipola produced 12 NCAA Division I signees, including JaMarcus Ellis (Indiana), the 2007 NJCAA National Player of the Year and Mario Little (Kansas), the 2008 State Player of the Year.
“I would like to thank Coach Ford and the Kent State administration for this opportunity,” said Uken, I look forward with anticipation to the coming school year and the chance to work with the student-athletes and coaches of a program with such a storied tradition of success.”
A graduate of the University of Nebraska, the Harvard, Neb. product first joined the coaching profession as a student manager for his alma mater in 1998, spending five seasons with the Huskers program before moving on to Barton Community College in Kansas. As an assistant coach for Barton, Uken helping his team that featured Second Team NJCAA All-American Center JP Batista (Gonzaga) to a 25-9 record.
Following his stay in Kansas, Uken spent two seasons as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Nebraska under Barry Collier. During the 2005-06 season, the Huskers finished with a 19-14 record, a semi-final appearance in the Big XII Tournament, and earned a trip to the post-season NIT.
Uken earned his Bachelor's degree in Education from Nebraska and recently completed his Master's work in Instructional Technology.
A graduate of Harvard Public Schools in Nebraska. He was a four-year letterwinner in the backcourt for the Cardinals.
Kent State is one of just seven teams in the country to win 20 games each of the last 10 seasons. Last year the Golden Flashes went 28-7 and won the MAC regular season and tournament championships on their way to a fifth NCAA appearance in the last 10 seasons.
