Rockford University is ushering in a new era for its men's basketball program, and the energy is already palpable. Head Athletic Director Jess Stanek has officially named Aaron Jacobs as the team's new head coach, a move that blends local roots with a proven track record of success.
"I'm excited to welcome Aaron Jacobs to our staff," Stanek shared. "His Division III experience, work ethic, and Rockford ties set him apart during the interview process. Aaron is ready to take over and lead his own program, and we feel confident that his hard work and dedication will translate into continued success."
Jacobs brings a wealth of momentum from his recent stint as head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at North Park University. There, he helped engineer one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the program's history. The Vikings opened conference play 4-0 for the first time since the 1982-83 season, secured back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2016-17, and earned consecutive CCIW Tournament appearances—a program first. They even hosted a conference tournament game, a milestone that speaks volumes about the culture shift Jacobs helped create.
During his tenure, North Park achieved consecutive top-four finishes in the CCIW for the first time since the early 1990s. Jacobs was instrumental in player development, mentoring four all-conference selections, a preseason All-American, and even a player who went on to compete professionally overseas. The Vikings also rewrote the record books, setting new marks for most three-pointers made in a season (246), most points in a game (138), and most assists in a game (39), while posting a conference-best 68% shooting performance in a single game.
Before North Park, Jacobs spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Wabash College, where the Little Giants captured back-to-back conference championships, posted consecutive 20-win seasons, and earned NCAA Tournament berths both years. Under his guidance, the program developed two conference players of the year and five all-conference selections, while also producing the eighth-leading scorer in school history with 1,525 career points. Wabash led the conference in field goal percentage, assist-to-turnover ratio, and three-pointers made per game, while ranking third nationally in fewest turnovers per game (9.1). Off the court, the team achieved its highest GPA in program history at 3.40.
Jacobs began his collegiate coaching journey at Wisconsin Lutheran College during the 2021-22 season, helping the program reach its third consecutive postseason. Now, he brings that same blend of on-court excellence and academic focus back to his hometown, ready to build a winning tradition at Rockford University.