UNI Men's Basketball
2011 Coaching Staff
Erik Crawford
Assistant Coach
University of Northern Iowa head men's basketball coach Ben Jacobson has announced the hiring of assistant coach Erik Crawford to the Panther coaching staff.
"We are thrilled to welcome Erik back to UNI," Jacobson said. "He is one of the best players in the history of our program, but more importantly Erik is a terrific person. He has the passion, knowledge and determination it takes to be a great coach. Erik will impact our players, our recruiting and all other aspects of our program in a positive manner."
Crawford, a native of Oakdale, Minn., totaled 985 points as a UNI Panther from 2003-2006. UNI posted a three-year mark of 65-31 during Crawford's playing days, and he helped lead the Panthers to three straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2004, 2005, 2006). He was an honorable mention all-Missouri Valley Conference pick as a junior. He earned MVC All-Newcomer status in 2004 following a transfer from Bowling Green State University. Crawford played prep basketball at Tartan High School in Oakdale, Minn., where he helped the Titans win the 2000 Minnesota Class 4A state title.
Crawford served as Creighton University's director of basketball operations in 2010-11. Prior to his year at Creighton, Crawford spent the previous four seasons at Iowa State University. With the Cyclones, he served as a graduate manager (two years) and as an assistant director of basketball operations (two years). Crawford worked for head coach Greg McDermott at both Creighton and Iowa State.
Crawford earned his undergraduate degree in leisure youth and human services from UNI in May 2006. He also earned his master's degree in kinesiology from Iowa State in May 2011.
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P.J. Hogan
Assistant Coach
P.J. Hogan is in his ninth year at the University of Northern Iowa, and his sixth as a full-time assistant coach. Hogan is responsible for coordinating player development, particularly with the Panthers' perimeter players, and is heavily involved in recruiting. He also is in charge of coordinating UNI's opponent scouting as well as the team's numerous summer camps.
Prior to coming to UNI, Hogan served as the top assistant coach at Southwest State University (known today as Southwest Minnesota State) for two years. At the Division II school, he helped lead them to an overall record of 38-18 and two second-place finishes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The 2001-02 team won 21 games - the second-most wins in school history - and advanced to the conference tournament championship game.
While at Southwest State, he was in charge of recruiting and player development. In addition, he oversaw the team's strength and conditioning program, and served as the team's academic coordinator.
Before going to Southwest State, Hogan worked at North Dakota State University during the 2000-01 season as an assistant coach, as well as the 1999-2000 season at Wayne State College. Hogan was part of one of most successful seasons in school history, as the Wildcats went 26-6 and reached the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen.
A native of Dubuque, Iowa, Hogan was a four-year letterwinner at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. He graduated from Morningside in 1999 with a degree in sociology and was named to the North Central Conference's honorable mention all-academic team.
Hogan obtained his master's degree in December 2008 in Leisure Services from UNI.
A high school graduate of Dubuque Hempstead, Hogan was a Class 4A first-team all-state performer.
Ben Johnson
Assistant Coach
Ben Johnson is in his fourth year as an assistant coach for the Panthers. Johnson will be involved in all aspects of the Panthers basketball program, with emphasis on recruiting and on-floor coaching.
Prior to UNI, Johnson had served the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Texas-Pan American. He was heavily involved in recruiting, worked with the Broncs perimeter players and coordinated UTPA's summer camps. Prior to that, has served as a graduate assistant at the University of Dayton for one season.
Johnson was a four-year starting guard in college at a pair of Big Ten schools. He played his first two years at Northwestern University, and his junior and senior seasons at the University of Minnesota. He scored more than 1,200 points during his college career and helped lead Minnesota to the National Invitation Tournament Final Four in 2003. He was also named team captain three of his years in school.
He had a standout prep career, helping lead DeLaSalle (Minn.) High School to two state championships. He was a two-time first-team all-state selection in both football and basketball, and his senior year was named a Street & Smith All-American, as well as Nike All-American honorable mention. He was listed as the 60th-best basketball player in the country by Bob Gibbons his senior season. Johnson also was listed on Tom Lemming's High School Football All-American list as a top-20 recruit in the nation.
A native of Minneapolis, Minn., the 30-year old Johnson received his bachelor's degree in sociology from Minnesota in 2005.
Derrik Netten
Director of Basketball Operations
Derrik Netten is in his fourth year working with the UNI men's basketball program, and third year in a full-time role as director of basketball operations. Netten coordinates team travel arrangements, the recruiting database and players' academics.
Prior to joining UNI, he served as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Superior during the 2006-07 season, serving as the team's recruiting coordinator and camps director. He was on staff when UWS signed four top-40 recruits from the state of Wisconsin for the first time in school history, giving it the top recruiting class in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Netten, who served as the team's administrative assistant in 2007-08, graduated from UNI in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in elementary and middle school education.
He and his wife, Gina, reside in Cedar Falls with their daughter, Ellia (1).
Don Bishop
Director of Athletic Training Services
Don Bishop, Director of Athletic Training Services, is in his 11th year at UNI. He is directly responsible for the health care of the men's basketball team and supervision of 10 certified athletic trainers on the UNI athletic training staff. Bishop also is a clinical instructor within the UNI Athletic Training Education Program.
Prior to his arrival at UNI, he was the director of athletic training education and head athletic trainer for seven years at Upper Iowa University.
Bishop received his bachelor's degree in health, physical education and recreation from Upper Iowa in 1992 and his master's in health, physical education and leisure services from UNI in 1997. In his position at Upper Iowa, he coordinated athletic training coverage for 17 Division III sports teams.
Prior to joining Upper Iowa's staff, he was the clinical athletic training outreach coordinator at Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital in Decorah, Iowa, from 1992-94, and was an adjunct instructor at Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar, Iowa, in spring 1994.
Bishop is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA), Mid-America Athletic Trainer's Society and the College Athletic Trainers' Society. He has served on the NATA College/University Athletic Training Student Committee since spring 1999 and has been an examiner for NATA Board of Certification Exam.
He and his wife, Sheri, have two daughters, Tori (19) and Brianna (15).
