MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama Men's Basketball head coach Richie Riley announced the addition of veteran coach John Aiken to the Jaguars staff as an assistant coach Tuesday evening.
Aiken arrives in Mobile with nearly 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, including Division I stops at UT Martin, McNeese, and Nicholls, while also spending two seasons as the head coach at McNeese.
"John and I go back 10 plus years in this profession," Riley said. " He was instrumental in our success at Nicholls and is an excellent ball coach. His ability to connect with people and his organized mentality is incredible. He will be a major asset for our program."
Aiken joins the Jaguars after spending the 2024-25 season at UT Martin, marking his second stint with the Skyhawks program and third overall season on staff. Prior to returning to UT Martin, Aiken spent five seasons at McNeese, including the final two as the Cowboys' head coach from 2021-23.
Aiken helped guide McNeese to its first Southland Conference Tournament victory since 2015 while advancing to the league tournament semifinals during the 2022-23 season. During his time with the Cowboys, he coached multiple all-conference performers, including two-time All-Southland Conference selection Christian Shumate and 2021-22 Southland Freshman of the Year Johnathan Massie.
Before being elevated to head coach at McNeese, Aiken served as associate head coach under Heath Schroyer for three seasons.
Aiken also previously worked under Riley at Nicholls during the 2016-18 seasons, helping lead the Colonels to 35 victories and a Southland Conference regular-season championship in 2017-18. Nicholls posted a 21-11 overall record and 15-3 conference mark that season while ranking among the national leaders in steals, turnovers forced, and scoring offense.
During his two seasons at Nicholls, Aiken helped recruit and develop three All-Southland Conference honorees, two all-defensive team selections, and the league's Newcomer of the Year.
His first stint at UT Martin from 2014-16 helped produce one of the biggest turnarounds in school history, as the Skyhawks improved by 13 wins during the 2014-15 campaign — the fourth-largest turnaround in NCAA Division I basketball that season. UT Martin also earned back-to-back postseason appearances and captured the program's first four postseason victories at the Division I level during his tenure.
Prior to his time in Division I basketball, Aiken served as head coach at NAIA Belhaven University, in Jackson, Miss., for two seasons. He guided the Blazers to a NAIA Division I National Tournament appearance in 2013-14 after posting a 14-6 conference record.
Aiken additionally spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Belhaven, helping the program reach the NAIA National Tournament twice more while coaching multiple all-conference and All-American performers.
His collegiate coaching career began at the University of New England, where he served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the NCAA Division III program in Biddeford, Maine.
A Portland, Maine native, Aiken earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Southern Maine in 2008 and completed his master's degree in sports leadership at Belhaven in 2013.
Aiken has two children, Macrae, 11, and Gracie, 15.
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