Matt Long became head coach of the Kougars as the 11th head coach in program history in April 2024.  Prior to Kishwaukee, Coach Long served as an assistant coach for the Illinois Central College (ICC) men’s basketball program for six years. In his assistant role, under the tutelage of respected Head Coach Tony Wysinger, Long focused on running the team’s offense, practices, and weight program, among other extra duties. Additionally, he has served as a coach for the Midwest Prospect Academy and assisted with basketball camps for Nike/USA, Marquette University and Shaun Livingston’s Pride of Peoria camps. Through the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Long has learned from established college coaches like Roy Williams and Porter Moser. Before coaching, Long played for ICC for three seasons before attending UNC-Charlotte then completing his education for his bachelor’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

One of Long’s initial goals as head coach is to establish a strong culture for the program and the community.“I am coming in ready to win games and bring a winning culture to Kish. I want people to enjoy coming to our games and to pack the gymnasium,” Long said. “We can create something here for the community through fun, joy and effort. I want this team to be a staple for the area and remembered for what we do both on and off the court.”

The Kish Men’s Basketball program is coming off a winning season with a 17-14 record and multiple players earning all-conference and all-region honors. With an extensive background in recruiting, Long expects to build on the previous season’s success. “I would love to continue the great season they had last year and build off that foundation. Our goal is to win games, and we still have room to grow and hit our goals,” Long said. “We’ll set the bar very high. But with a positive outlook, I think any goal is attainable with hard work.” With a focus on education, Long emphasized the importance of academics for the program’s student-athletes. “Understanding the importance of the classroom is vital to our success,” Long said. “I expect our student-athletes to hold themselves to a high standard at all times and be the best person they can be.”