ISU coach offers thanks after announcing departure
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On Saturday, Indiana State University men’s basketball coach Josh Schertz announced he is leaving after leading the Sycamores to a 32-7 season and the NIT championship game. The following day, Schertz offered his thanks to the ISU community.
Schertz has accepted the head coaching job at Saint Louis University, replacing Travis Ford, who was fired three weeks ago.
In a statement posted to his account on X, formerly Twitter, Schertz started by thanking former ISU Director of Athletics Sherard Clinkscales, who stepped down at the end of 2023 but was responsible for hiring Schertz.
Schertz also thanked his current and former players and coaches, as well as the fans who supported the team during his tenure and the team’s run through the NIT.
“I came here with the same three goals I had when I took over at Lincoln Memorial, and that was to do this job to the very best of my ability, represent the university in a first class manner every single day, and to leave this program in better shape than I found it,” Schertz said. “I can lay my head down at night knowing I did the first two and I will let others judge the last part.”
The 48-year-old Schertz coached Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee to three NCAA Division II Final Fours in 13 years before taking over at Indiana State in 2021. The Sycamores were 11-20 in his first season and 23-13 in his second.
Indiana State University said Schertz declined a contract extension despite what it said was a record-breaking fundraising effort to pay him more than any coach in the university’s history.
“Coach Schertz’s leadership has been the driving force behind rebuilding and elevating our NCAA Division I men’s basketball program and the team’s success this year. We wish him the best in his future endeavors,” ISU President Deborah Curtis said.
“While I made a very difficult decision that I think is in the best interests of both my family and me, I do understand the impact and emotional reaction it has caused,” Schertz said. “While this emotional reaction has led to some misinformed and inane theories, nothing will change about how Natalia and I feel about this community. We poured ourselves into this place and received back 10x more in return. We have made relationships that will last the rest of our lives. The players, staff and this community just gave us the journey of a lifetime and we are so grateful.”
Schertz was the Missouri Valley Conference coach of the year and winner of the Hugh Durham Award as the nation’s top mid-major coach.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.