Tim Jankovich was named head coach at SMU on July 8, 2016, after four years as associate head coach. The 2021-22 season was his 39th season as a collegiate coach and 15th season a Division I head coach (282-185). He is 125-64 at SMU through his sixth season leading the Mustangs. In six seasons at the helm, SMU won the 2016-17 American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships, made the 2017 NCAA Tournament, the NIT in 2021 and 2022, and had eight wins over AP top-20 ranked teams. Under Jankovich, SMU was 86-18 (.827) at Moody Coliseum, the highest home winning percentage in program history. His teams twice finished the regular season undefeated at home.
He previously was head coach at Illinois State (2007-12) and North Texas (1993-97), and as an assistant or head coach, his teams have won seven regular season conference championships and five league tournament titles, made 10 NCAA appearances and have earned nine NIT berths. His career includes serving as an assistant coach for Lon Kruger, Jack Hartman, Eddie Sutton, Kevin Stallings, Bill Self, Larry Brown, Boyd Grant, Gene Iba and Bob Weltlich.
In his 10 seasons at SMU, the Mustangs won The American regular season twice (2014-15, 2016-17), the AAC Tournament twice (2015, 2017) and made the NCAA tournament two times (2015, 2017). SMU also reached the NIT three times (2014, 2021, 2022), reaching the title game in 2014. SMU has also won the 2015-16 Las Vegas Classic and the 2019-20 Southwestern Showdown. The Mustangs have garnered four American Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors (Nic Moore 2014-15, 2015-16; Semi Ojeleye in 2016-17, Kendric Davis in 2021-22) and three AAC Sixth Man of the Year awards (Markus Kennedy 2014-15, 2015-16; Ben Emelogu II 2016-17). In the nine seasons in The American, SMU has 19 All-AAC selections, the most in the league. The Mustangs won their first 36 games at Moody Coliseum with Jankovich as the head coach, which is the second-best home start in NCAA history. The program has been in the Associated Press Top 25 in four of the seasons, being ranked as high as No. 8. The Mustangs were ranked or received votes in the AP Top 25 in eight of the last nine years. The Mustangs have had five players reach the NBA (Semi Ojeleye, Sterling Brown, Feron Hunt, Shake Milton, Ben Moore), with three selected in the NBA Draft (Semi Ojeleye, Sterling Brown in 2017; Shake Milton in 2018). Several others have had professional playing careers throughout the world, including Ben Emelogu II, Isiaha Mike, Nic Moore, Markus Kennedy, Yanick Moreira, Nick Russell and Jordan Tolbert.
Prior to SMU, he spent five seasons (2007-12) as the head coach at Illinois State, where his teams went 105-64, and made four NIT appearances (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012). He also won at least 20 games and finished in the top-three in the Missouri Valley in each of the NIT seasons. They advanced to the MVC tournament title game three times (2008, 2009, 2012), twice falling in overtime. In his five years at ISU, Jankovich was named IBCA District Coach of the Year four times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012).
Before arriving at Illinois State, he spent five years as an assistant for Kansas coach Bill Self (one at Illinois and four at Kansas). During that stretch, their teams made five straight NCAA Tournaments, two trips to the Elite Eight and laid the foundation for Kansas' National Title in 2008.
In Jankovich's four years at Kansas, the Jayhawks compiled a 105-29 (.784) record, won three Big 12 regular season titles (2005, 2006, 2007), a pair of Big 12 tournaments (2006, 2007) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each campaign. In his final season at Kansas (2006-07), the Jayhawks went 33-5, and advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time in four years. The Jayhawks finished the season ranked No. 2 in both the final Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls. KU finished each season of his tenure ranked No. 16 or better.
In his one year as an assistant at Illinois (2002-03), the team finished 25-7, won the Big Ten Tournament and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Illinois was No. 11 in the final AP poll.
For the past 30-plus years, Jankovich has played a key role in recruiting and player development. He is responsible for having attracted and coached some of the most accomplished recruiting classes in college basketball and has coached 27 current or former NBA players.
In addition to working under Self, Jankovich has served as an assistant coach for Eddie Sutton, Jack Hartman, Lon Kruger, Boyd Grant, Gene Iba, Bob Weltlich and Kevin Stallings. Other than Kansas and Illinois, he also served on the coaching staffs at UTPA, Kansas State, Texas, Colorado State, Baylor, Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt. In addition, he served as a head coach for four years at the University of North Texas (1993-97) and two seasons at Hutchinson Community College (1997-99).
Jankovich guided Hutchinson Community College from 1997-99, going 50-14, posting back-to-back 20-win campaigns and national rankings both seasons. At Vanderbilt (1999-2002), he played a key role that helped lead the Commodores to two NIT appearances in three years (2000, 2002). The core of Jankovich's recruited players at Vanderbilt advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2004.
One of the winningest players in Kansas State history, he was a four-year starter at point guard (one at Washington State and three years for legendary coach Jack Hartman at KSU). In each of his seasons at KSU, the Wildcats ranked in the top-20 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Jankovich played in nine NCAA Tournament games, advancing to the 1981 Elite Eight and the 1982 Sweet 16.
A three-time academic All-American and honorable mention All-Big Eight player, he finished at Kansas State in the school's top-10 in nine categories, including first in season FT pct. (.917) and eighth in career FG pct. (.510). He set the Big Eight Tournament record for single-game assists (14).
Jankovich graduated from Kansas State cum laude in 1982 with a 3.63 GPA in business finance and received his master's degree in radio/television in 1985. He and his wife, Cindy, have a son, Michael.
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