Wittenberg University Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Brian Agler has announced the hiring of Darren Hertz as the new head coach of Wittenberg Men’s Basketball. Hertz, who has been an assistant coach at the University of Dayton since 2017, succeeds Matt Croci ’94, who was named director of athletics at Wilmington College earlier this month.
“I am thrilled and humbled to be the next head coach at Wittenberg University,” Hertz said. “I would like to thank President Michael Frandsen and Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Brian Agler for their trust and belief in me to lead this historic program. Wittenberg’s tradition as the winningest D3 program in the country speaks for itself.
“I’m beyond excited to get started and continue to build on the tradition that is Wittenberg hoops. Tiger Up!”
Hertz has more than 25 years of experience as a college men’s basketball coach, including 19 seasons at his alma mater, the University of Florida, working for current Chicago Bulls Head Coach Billy Donovan. Hertz got his coaching start as a student assistant at Florida, and he went on to hold various titles, including video coordinator, assistant to the head coach, and director of basketball operations. The Gators totaled 467 wins, two national championships, four Final Fours, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, six Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular season championships and four SEC tournament titles during Hertz’s 19 years on staff.
After leaving Florida, Hertz spent two years at the University of Illinois as special assistant to the head coach for current Akron University Head Coach John Groce. In his second season at Illinois, the Illini made a run to the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
For the last seven years, Hertz has been an assistant coach at the University of Dayton, working for current Flyers Head Coach Anthony Grant. Hertz helped the Flyers earn a berth in the NCAA Division I Tournament in 2023-24 while compiling a 25-8 overall record. He was also part of Dayton’s historic 2019-20 season in which the Flyers went 29-2, were ranked No. 3 in the country, and were projected to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended the season.
In his career, Hertz has helped coach and mentor more than 30 players who have played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and many more who have played professional basketball elsewhere around the world. The most recent players he has coached that have reached the NBA are former Flyers Obi Toppin, Jalen Crutcher, Toumani Camara, and DaRon Holmes II.
Hertz is a native of Miami, Florida. He was an All-Dade County point guard as a senior at Miami Killian High School. Hertz earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Florida in 1997 and a master’s degree in sport management from UF in 2001. He and wife Julie have two children, Brandon (14) and Lexi (12).
“We are excited that Coach Hertz is leading our program into our future. Darren comes highly recommended, and when meeting with our campus staff, the committee, athletics staff, and team members, he was extremely impressive,” Agler said. “I’m confident Darren will hit the ground running and is motivated to extend our strong tradition of highly respected and successful basketball into this season and beyond.”
Hertz takes over a Wittenberg Men’s Basketball team that posted an 18-9 overall record in the 2023-24 season, including an 11-5 mark in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), good for a third-place finish in the regular season standings. The Tigers have four starters returning to the lineup in 2024-25, led by first-team All-NCAC standout Trey Killens.
What They Are Saying About Darren Hertz
“I had the good fortune to work very closely with Darren Hertz for 19 years at the University of Florida. Darren is an incredible person and basketball coach who played a major role in the success we had at Florida. I am certainly aware of the great basketball tradition at Wittenberg, and I have no doubt that Darren will carry on that tradition. He will build great relationships, will help players develop on and off the court, and he will make a great impact in the community. He is a tireless worker, and I am extremely excited for both Darren and Wittenberg.”
Billy Donovan— Head Coach, Chicago Bulls
“Darren Hertz is a great fit at Wittenberg University. He is a tireless worker and great basketball mind. I always appreciated Darren’s emphasis on character and his passion for team and player development. In addition, Darren is very thoughtful and will combine his previous experiences with his own beliefs well. We are super excited to watch and follow Darren and the Tigers as he and his staff work diligently to build on the great tradition at Wittenberg.”
John Groce— Head Coach, University of Akron
“We are very excited for Darren and his family. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Darren and Julie for over 25 years and working directly with Darren for close to two decades. He will bring impeccable character, synergy, and passion combined with decades of experience in every aspect of running a program and building a championship caliber organization. Darren will be an outstanding ambassador for Wittenberg basketball and the campus community.”
Anthony Grant— Head Coach, University of Dayton
https://wittenbergtigers.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/releases/DarrenHertzNamedHeadCoach
