Jeremy Kipness - Director of Recruiting - Men's Basketball Coaches

Jeremy Kipness

Title:
Director of Recruiting
Email:
jskpness@memphis.edu
Phone:
901-678-2346

Jeremy Kipness was promoted to Director of Recruiting on head coach Penny Hardaway's staff prior to the 2022-23 season after joining the Tiger's staff as Recruiting Coordinator before the 2021-22 season. He got his start with the Tigers program during the 2020-21 season when he served as a Graduate Assistant.

Before coming to Memphis, Kipness spent four seasons (2016-20) serving as the Founder, Program Director and Head Coach of Aspire Academy – a national prep basketball powerhouse in Louisville, Ky. In his four seasons as the head coach of Aspire Academy’s national high school team, they compiled an 82-51 record while playing one of the toughest schedules in the country. This included four-straight appearances in the Grind Session World Championships, highlighted by a run to the Championship Game in 2017-18.

In addition, Kipness led his Aspire Academy team to a semifinal appearance in both the NACA National Championship and the Big Shots Nationals in 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively. Under his leadership, in four graduating classes 37 graduates matriculated to the next level, including 19 at the NCAA Division 1 level. Kipness developed the team and players to several meritorious honors, such as Charles Bassey who received USA Today & MaxPreps All-American honors in 2017-18 and would later become the first Aspire Academy graduate to be selected in the NBA Draft when he went 53rd to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2021.

A native of Guilford, Conn., Kipness spent his undergraduate years at the University of Louisville, where he served as a student manager for the men’s basketball team under the tutelage and mentorship of Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino (2011-14). During his time with Louisville the Cardinals achieved monumental success, winning a school-record 35 games en route to winning the 2013 NCAA National Championship, advancing to the 2012 NCAA Final Four, winning two Big East regular season and tournament titles and an American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament crown.

While at Louisville, Kipness aided in the development of five NBA Draft Picks (Gorgui Dieng, Peyton Siva, Russ Smith, Terry Rozier, Montrezl Harrell), as well as countless professional players overseas. During the summer months, Kipness would travel the country working Elite Camps at Memphis, Michigan State, Florida and UConn.

After his time at Louisville, Kipness resided in Senegal, West Africa, where he worked as a Director of Player Development Intern with SEED Project (Sports for Education and Economic Development). During his time abroad he provided leadership and direction for a soundly based, consistent and coordinated player development curriculum, while working with SEED Project to develop the basketball landscape in Senegal.

He graduated from the University of Louisville in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Administration.