Mastodon MBB's Ryan Sims Promoted to Associate Head Coach
9/16/2026 10:10:00 AM | Men's Basketball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Purdue Fort Wayne men's basketball head coach Jon Coffman announced that Ryan Sims has been elevated to Associate Head Coach - Chief of Staff.
"The retention of our staff has been amazing as you look across the Division I landscape, particularly at the mid-major level," Coffman said. "Our program's consistency is a credit to the Fort Wayne community! Fort Wayne has embraced our basketball program and has been such a special part of our unparalleled success. We're the winningest mid-major program in the state of Indiana over the past 13 years with 240 wins, and it's because we have had an elite group of assistant coaches and an amazing city pushing us forward daily. Our coaches take tremendous pride and ownership in our program and set the standard high for our players to follow their lead. I am so grateful for our staff's loyalty, consistency, hard work and passion."
Sims is entering his 17th year with the Purdue Fort Wayne program. The Fort Wayne native started his career at Purdue Fort Wayne as a graduate assistant under Dane Fife in the 2009-2010 season. Sims has been on the bench for all seven Division I postseason appearances for the Mastodons, including the National Invitation Tournament in 2015-16. The 'Dons claimed two regular season titles with Sims on staff in 2016 and 2022, and he was a major part of the back-to-back wins over Indiana in 2016 and 2017. He was also responsible for the scout when the Mastodons beat Notre Dame in 2025. Sims was named to the Under Armour 30-Under-30 Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 2016. Sims was also influential in the development of John Konchar, the first Mastodon to play in the NBA, and the only student-athlete in NCAA men's basketball history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists and 250 steals. Prior to his time in Fort Wayne, Sims enjoyed a successful playing career at Bowling Green and University of Indianapolis.
"Ryan has grown from a Mastodon graduate assistant to an Associate Head Coach in year 17 with our program," Coffman said. "Through the years, he has been offered opportunities to leave but has chosen Fort Wayne over and over and over. The Coffmans appreciate his pride, loyalty and friendship! His personality and fingerprints resonate throughout our program as he has invested so much to be a part of every success that I have on my head coaching resume. His pride in our city, loyalty to our program and calmness under challenging situations has been critical to our unparalleled consistency both on and off the court. He has been a critical part of all things Mastodon basketball: two regular season league titles, seven postseason tournament appearances, generation after generation of developing professional players and all-league accolades, the historic back-to-back wins over Indiana and the winningest mid-major program in the state of Indiana over the past 13 years. He has a Swiss army knife coaching skillset and a chameleon personality that makes him invaluable to winning every day both on and off the court.
"I am so grateful for Ryan and his family's commitment to the program. Shea, Bishop and Miloh feel like an extension of the Coffman family, and we are so grateful to have such an awesome family supporting Mastodon basketball side by side with my crew!"
Sims and the Mastodons will open the season with an exhibition against Purdue on October 22 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
"The retention of our staff has been amazing as you look across the Division I landscape, particularly at the mid-major level," Coffman said. "Our program's consistency is a credit to the Fort Wayne community! Fort Wayne has embraced our basketball program and has been such a special part of our unparalleled success. We're the winningest mid-major program in the state of Indiana over the past 13 years with 240 wins, and it's because we have had an elite group of assistant coaches and an amazing city pushing us forward daily. Our coaches take tremendous pride and ownership in our program and set the standard high for our players to follow their lead. I am so grateful for our staff's loyalty, consistency, hard work and passion."
Sims is entering his 17th year with the Purdue Fort Wayne program. The Fort Wayne native started his career at Purdue Fort Wayne as a graduate assistant under Dane Fife in the 2009-2010 season. Sims has been on the bench for all seven Division I postseason appearances for the Mastodons, including the National Invitation Tournament in 2015-16. The 'Dons claimed two regular season titles with Sims on staff in 2016 and 2022, and he was a major part of the back-to-back wins over Indiana in 2016 and 2017. He was also responsible for the scout when the Mastodons beat Notre Dame in 2025. Sims was named to the Under Armour 30-Under-30 Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 2016. Sims was also influential in the development of John Konchar, the first Mastodon to play in the NBA, and the only student-athlete in NCAA men's basketball history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists and 250 steals. Prior to his time in Fort Wayne, Sims enjoyed a successful playing career at Bowling Green and University of Indianapolis.
"Ryan has grown from a Mastodon graduate assistant to an Associate Head Coach in year 17 with our program," Coffman said. "Through the years, he has been offered opportunities to leave but has chosen Fort Wayne over and over and over. The Coffmans appreciate his pride, loyalty and friendship! His personality and fingerprints resonate throughout our program as he has invested so much to be a part of every success that I have on my head coaching resume. His pride in our city, loyalty to our program and calmness under challenging situations has been critical to our unparalleled consistency both on and off the court. He has been a critical part of all things Mastodon basketball: two regular season league titles, seven postseason tournament appearances, generation after generation of developing professional players and all-league accolades, the historic back-to-back wins over Indiana and the winningest mid-major program in the state of Indiana over the past 13 years. He has a Swiss army knife coaching skillset and a chameleon personality that makes him invaluable to winning every day both on and off the court.
"I am so grateful for Ryan and his family's commitment to the program. Shea, Bishop and Miloh feel like an extension of the Coffman family, and we are so grateful to have such an awesome family supporting Mastodon basketball side by side with my crew!"
Sims and the Mastodons will open the season with an exhibition against Purdue on October 22 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
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