CRESTVIEW HILLS, KY (April 22, 2024) — Thomas More University women’s basketball head coach Jeff Hans has accepted the head coaching position at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). 

Hans is the winningest coach in Thomas More women’s basketball program history, guiding the Saints to a 339-42 record (.889), eight conference regular season titles, eight conference tournament titles, and 11 national tournament berths including two NCAA Division III National Championships, one NAIA National Championship, and two NAIA National Runners-Up. 

“I am grateful to Coach Hans for the extraordinary work ethic he exhibited during his 13 years at the University. His commitment to the student-athletes’ academic achievement was as important as their success on the court. Jeff’s dedication to the program has created a lasting legacy that will continue to shape the program well into the future,” says Thomas More University President Joseph Chillo, LP.D. “I, as well as the entire Thomas More community, wish him continued success at Northern Kentucky University.” 

Under Hans’ leadership, the Saints made history, winning the Women’s Basketball Division III National Championship in 2016 and 2019 as members of the President’s Athletic Conference (PAC). Hans was named NCAA DIII Coach of the Year by D3Hoops.com in both those years and recorded five consecutive unbeaten seasons in the PAC going 90-0 and 182-6 overall. He was named National Coach of the Year three times and Conference Coach of the Year five times. 

After moving to the NAIA in 2019, Hans led the Saints to a NAIA National Championship as members of the Mid-South Conference in 2022. Hans was named NAIA National Coach of the Year, WhoopDirt.com Coach of the Year, and Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year. Overall, in his 13 years at Thomas More, Hans has coached six National Players of the Year, four Great Lakes Players of the Year, Five All-Conference Players of the Year, two Conference Freshmen of the Year, 43 All-Conference players, 14 All-Region players, 21 All-Americans, and three CSC Academic All-Americans. 

“I want to thank Coach Hans for being a great person and coach who has led Thomas More women’s basketball to national prominence. He has brought National Championships to Thomas More, but more importantly has graduated young women who are making a positive impact on society,” says Vice President and Director of Athletics Terry Connor. “I am excited for Jeff and the opportunity he has at NKU; they could not have made a better choice.” 

The University community appreciates all that Coach Hans has done for Thomas More and the women’s basketball program and will follow his coaching career at NKU with great interest. He will forever be a Saint both as a former coach and as a class of 2019 alumnus of the University. Congratulations and #LetsGoSaints #NorseUp! 

Media Contact: Kristen Gallagher, director of communications & PR, [email protected], 859.344.3309  

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 About Thomas More University 

Founded in 1921, Thomas More University stands as a beacon of academic excellence and innovation, challenging students to Make It More. Deeply rooted in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, this timeless foundation supports a transformative educational experience as students looking to Be More are guided in the pursuit of knowledge, ethical leadership, and the integration of faith and reason. Through the high-quality, liberal arts education provided at Thomas More, students examine the ultimate meaning of life, their place in the world, and their responsibility to others which leads to the ability to think critically and contribute meaningfully to the world. Serving more than 2,000 students, Thomas More takes its place as the premier Catholic university in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region, being named one of the 2024 Best Colleges in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal.