The Badgers assistant could be earning a head coaching opportunity soon.
Wisconsin Badgers assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft is reportedly earning head coaching interest this offseason, as reports have tied him to the Southern Illinois vacancy.
Head Coaching Whispers:
•Lutz to Oklahoma State
•Spradlin or Horn Western Kentucky
•Krabbenhoft to SIU
•Saul Phillips to UT Martin
•Ben McCollum to Drake
•No Schertz to FAU or Saint Louis
•Joyce to Duquesne
•Montgomery Inn to Detroit@trillydonovan @samurai_hoops— Chas. Wolfe (@highmajorscoop) March 26, 2024
Krabbenhoft, 37, joined head coach Greg Gard’s staff at Wisconsin as an assistant in 2016, and was promoted to associate head coach in 2022.
A former player at Wisconsin from 2005-09, Krabbenhoft began his career as an assistant coach at South Dakota State from 2014-16 before returning to his alma mater.
Krabbenhoft has been respected as one of the top aspiring coaches in the country, with ESPN naming him to their 40-under-40 list back in 2020, citing him as key in player development and an active recruiter.
Krabbenhoft’s ties specifically span in the Midwest, so it’s no surprise that Southern Illinois has shown interest, although it’s unclear whether he’s currently a favorite for the position or not.
Southern Illinois recently fired head coach Bryan Mullins, who had been the head coach since 2019, accumulating an 86-68 record, including 49-45 in conference play in the Missouri Valley Conference.