Bucknell hiring John Griffin III as head coach

Former Bison player and Saint Joe’s associate head coach John Griffin III hired to be the new head coach at Bucknell, the school announced on Tuesday. Griffin has been with the Hawks since 2019, following stints at Rider and Bucknell.

“John Griffin is a rising star in the college basketball coaching ranks, and I am tremendously excited to welcome him back to Bucknell as our next head coach,” said AD Jermaine Truax. “As the son of a coach, John has always had a bright mind for the game of basketball, which was on full display during his playing days at Bucknell and now as a coach. John’s energy and passion and his engaging personality has translated to success both as a recruiter and as a leader of high-level student-athletes on and off the court.”

Griffin’s father, John II, was the head coach at Saint Joseph’s and Siena, and his brother, Matt, is also a collegiate coach who is currently an assistant at Florida Gulf Coast. As a player, he was part of the 2004-05 and 2005-06 Bucknell teams that reached the NCAA Tournament and pulled off consecutive first-round wins over #3 Kansas and #8 Arkansas, respectively.

“I am honored and excited for the chance to lead the men’s basketball program at Bucknell University,” said Griffin. “As an alum, the success of Bucknell Athletics resonates with me on a deep level, and I look forward to bringing the Patriot League championship back to Sojka Pavilion. I am humbled to represent the Bucknell campus and Lewisburg community with a competitive spirit of pride and passion.”

Bucknell parted ways with former head coach Nathan Davis earlier this month after eight seasons at the helm. Davis led the Bison to four-straight Patriot League titles to start his tenure – the same four years that Griffin III was on staff – but then finished below .500 in each of the next four. The program last went to the NCAA Tournament in 2018.

credit to Bucknell Athletics for the image