Lincoln University Names Julius Hodge Head Coach of Men’s Basketball Team

Former NBA star Julius Hodge is the new coach of Lincoln University’s men’s basketball team, a move announced this week by athletic director Harry Stinson III.

Hodge comes to Lincoln after serving as an assistant coach at Arkansas-Little Rock. He helped the school to a 21-13 record this past season and came within one win of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament after losing to Morehead State in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game.

Hodge was a two-time All-American at NC State and the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2004. He played 10 seasons professionally, including two seasons in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks.

Hodge was drafted in the first round by the Nuggets in 2005. In the early morning hours of April 8, 2006, he was shot three times while driving his vehicle on a freeway near downtown Denver. Many players paid tribute to Hodge following the incident, most notably fellow Nuggets rookie Marcus Camby, who wore Hodge’s initials and number on his shoe during the 2006 season.

“I am excited to introduce Julius Hodge as our next head men’s basketball coach,” Stinson said in a statement. “Julius brings an extensive and decorated career to Lincoln, highlighted by his stellar college career at NC State, his NBA and overseas experiences. … His ability to lead young men, his passion for being a father, husband, educator and coach, combined with his experiences, will help our student-athletes achieve their ultimate goals.”

Despite a 17-14 season, Lincoln finished the 2023-24 season as champions of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and qualified for the NCAA Division II tournament.

“I am excited to lead this Lincoln University program as the new head coach, with an eagerness to establish a team culture based on discipline, hard work, accountability, respect and perseverance,” Hodge said. “These core values ​​will be the cornerstones of our approach, guiding us through every practice, game and off-field challenge we encounter.”