Hank Plona (born September 30, 1985)
Current position: Head men’s basketball coach
Current team: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Current conference: Conference USA (CUSA)
Western Kentucky record: 0-0 (.000)
Overall record^: 0-0 (.000)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
- Conference USA Regular Season Champion: 0
- Conference USA Tournament Champion: 0
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
2024-present | Western Kentucky |
2023-2024 | Western Kentucky (asst) |
2015-2023 | Indian Hills CC |
2011-2015 | South Plains CC (asst) |
2010-2011 | Indian Hills CC (asst) |
2009-2010 | Arkansas-Fort Smith (asst) |
2007-2009 | Providence (grad. asst) |
2005-2007 | Providence (student mgr) |
Hank Plona Facts
- Vincent Henry Plona
- Born September 30, 1985
- Hometown: Avon, Connecticut
- Alma Mater: Providence College (BA, 2007 & MBA)
- Graduated from Providence, where he was a student manager and later graduate assistant for head coaches Tim Welsh and Keno Davis
- Spent one year as an assistant under Josh Newman at D-II Arkansas-Fort Smith, then one year at Indian Hills CC in Iowa and four at South Plains CC in Texas; was a part of the South Plains team that went undefeated and won the 2012 NCJAA National Championship
- Served as head coach at Indian Hills for eight seasons, winning eight ICCAC titles and six Region titles with an overall record of 225-35
- Qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament in seven of eight seasons and coached several NCJAA All-Americans and other star players who would transfer to and play at D-I programs
- Named ICCAC Coach of the Year four times and NJCAA District COY honors on five occasions
- Moved on to Division I himself in 2023, joining the Western Kentucky staff as an assistant under new head coach Steve Lutz
- Promoted to head coach at Western Kentucky in April 2024 following Lutz’ departure to Oklahoma State
Hank Plona Coaching Tree
- Josh Sash (Indian Hills CC)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I level only