John Unger is entering his third year as the assistant coach for men’s basketball. The Cavs have posted a 36-24 overall record during Unger’s two seasons, as well as, a trip to the 2007-2008 Region XXIII semifinals.

Unger started his coaching career as a student manager at the University of Arkansas under legendary coach Nolan Richardson. During Unger’s time at Arkansas, the Razorbacks posted a 53-41 record, went to two NCAA Tournaments, won the 2000 Southeastern Conference Tournament championship, and sent two players to the National Basketball Association (Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks and Jannero Pargo, New Orleans Hornets).

After graduating from the University of Arkansas, Unger became an assistant basketball coach at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, where his duties included scouting, recruiting, monitoring student-athletes, on-the-floor coaching, player development, weight training, and numerous other duties for the athletic department. He helped head coach Chad McDowell build the NAIA powerhouse from the ground up. In their inaugural season the Pilots went 21-12, finished second in their conference, and ended the season one game short of the NAIA National Tournament. In 2004-2005 the Pilots improved on the previous year. They finished the year with a 27-9 mark, ranked 7th in the NAIA national poll, won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular season title, made it to the NAIA Sweet Sixteen, and had one player named First Team All-American. In 2005-2006 the Pilots reached even higher starting the season ranked 10th in the polls and never falling out of the top ten and were ranked 1st in the country for one week. They finished the year ranked 2nd in the NAIA poll with a 29-4 record, led the country in scoring by averaging over 100 points a game, won the GCAC regular season and tournament championships, had a First Team and Third Team All-American, and were the #2 seed in the NAIA national tournament.

While Unger was at LSUS, the team complied a 77-34 overall record, a 40-10 conference record, and a 37-5 home record. Unger had the privilege of working with the three-time Louisiana Small College basketball coach of the year, coached two All-Americans, one GCAC Player of the Year, three GCAC Newcomers of the Year, and numerous GCAC All-Conference players. Unger was also in charge of the schools NAIA Champions of Character program. Under his guidance the men’s basketball team won the first ever NAIA Buffalo Funds 5-Star Team of Character award and one player won the prestigious Pattison Family Scholarship. Coach Unger was also involved in bringing The Fellowship of Christian Athletes to the LSUS campus.

Unger graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and earned his Masters in Education from LSUS in 2005. He is married to the former Crystal Seyller of Stuttgart, Arkansas.

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