UCCS Announces Jeff Culver as Head Men's Basketball Coach

Jeff Culver, former Athletic Director and Men's Basketball Coach at Johnson and Wales University, Denver, is the new head coach of the UCCSMountain Lions Men's Basketball team.

Culver, 39, was selected following a regional search. His appointment was announced by Steve Kirkham, UCCS Athletic Director. Culver replaces Russ Caton who coached the men's Mountain Lion basketball team from 2006 to 2012.

Culver's appointment is scheduled for formal approval by the CU Board of Regents at a meeting scheduled for April 17-18.

"I am very excited to have Jeff join the Mountain Lion family," Kirkham said. "He brings a passion for basketball and has proven he can win games in an academic environment. It's time for UCCS men's basketball to take a step forward in competitiveness in a very tough NCAA Division II conference."

Culver served as Johnson and Wales' Athletic Director since 2008 and its men's basketball coach since 2006. As coach, he led the Wildcats to three Association of Independent Institutions Conference championships and three National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Invitational Tournaments. In 2009, 2010, and 2011 Culver was named AII Conference Coach of the Year. As athletic director, Culver led a $7 million renovation to campus athletic facilities and added men's and women's programs in volleyball and cross country in addition to managing the department's budget and 12 coaches.

Prior to joining the Johnson and Wales staff, Culver was an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. He also served as assistant director of basketball operations at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, and head varsity basketball coach at Alexander Dawson High School, Lafayette, and operated two small businesses in Fort Collins. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Michigan.

"I am very excited about the future of UCCS men's basketball," Culver said. "I am also very thankful to Chancellor Shockley-Zalabak, Vice Chancellor Burnett and Director Kirkham for giving me this opportunity to take the program to the next level."

UCCS has 13 athletic teams. Since 1996, UCCS student-athletes have competed in NCAA Division II. The university is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 36 bachelor's degrees, 19 master's degrees, and five doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 9,300 students annually.