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Hodge Announces Hiring of Estelle, Herl To Coaching Staff
4/28/2023 11:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DENTON — First year UNT men's basketball head coach Ross Hodge has announced the hiring of Johnny Estelle and Jase Herl to his coaching staff on Friday.
Estelle joins North Texas as an assistant coach after nine seasons as Texas A&M Kingsville's head coach. Herl heads to Denton after most recently spending five seasons at Missouri State. He was promoted to the Bears' associate head coach prior to last season.
"We are excited to welcome Johnny and Jase to our program," Hodge said. "I have known Johnny for over 23 years and during that time I have competed against him as a player and as a coach. His teams mirrored his competitive spirit and toughness. He has a complete understanding of the development of student-athletes, not only as players but as people. This combination has led to unprecedented success at his previous stops. We are thrilled to welcome Ana and their family to Denton."
In his nine seasons as the Javelinas' head coach, Estelle compiled a 137-112 record.
He led TAMUK to four NCAA DII Tournaments, including three since 2020 and its first NCAA DII Tournament win in program history. Prior to Estelle's arrival in Kingsville, the Hogs had only made four national tournaments in their then 89-year history and had never made consecutive tournaments before.
The Javelinas reached at least the semifinal round of the highly competitive Lone Star Conference tournament in each of the last four seasons. They made the championship game in 2021.
Two of the program's four best single season win totals are under Estelle, who graduated from TAMUK in 1996 and was an all-conference player for the Javelinas. He took over the program in 2014, which hadn't had a winning season in five years at that point.
In just Estelle's third season as TAMUK's head coach in 2016-17 he led the Javelinas to a 19-win season, which was tied for its most single season wins in 21 years. That season they defeated No. 9 Tarleton State during the regular season and No. 17 UT Permian Basin in the NCAA DII Tournament for the program's first-ever tournament win.
Prior to Texas A&M Kingsville, Estelle was an assistant coach for one season at Houston in 2013-14 under James Dickey.
His stint with the Cougars came after 13 seasons at Navarro College where he spent the final six as the Bulldogs' head coach and averaged 25 wins a year and won four Region XIV championships. They reached the 2010 NJCAA National Tournament semifinal round.
Estelle and his Navarro staff were successful in placing 21 of their student-athletes in NCAA Division I programs while retaining a 93.7 percent graduation rate during his tenure.
"I feel really fortunate we were able to add Jase," Hodge said. "I met Jase ten years ago while he was a young head coach and I have continued to be impressed with his growth in this profession. He is one of the bright young coaches in our game. He has had success everywhere he has been. Jase connects with student-athletes and is a great relationship builder. We couldn't be more excited to have Jase, Jacee and their family part of our program."
Jase Herl joins the Mean Green coaching staff as an assistant coach after five seasons at Missouri State where he helped guide the Bears to 17+ wins in each of the last three seasons including 23 wins in 2021-22.
During his time with the Bears, Herl helped mentor 15 All-MVC performers. Missouri State finished as Missouri Valley runners-up in 2022 and in third place in 2019 and 2021. They earned a trip to the NIT in 2022.
Missouri State, similar to North Texas, has been one of the top defenses in the nation over the last few seasons. The Bears held opponents to just 63.2 points per game this last year.
Herl brings with him to Denton 12 years of coaching experience that spans all levels.
From 2016-18 he was an assistant coach at Colorado State and served as the Rams' interim head coach in 2018 at just 30 years old. He led CSU to a 90-78 win over San Jose State in his first game as interim head coach.
Herl has also spent time as a DII and junior college coach.
In 2015-16 he was an assistant coach at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, where he helped lead the Texans to a 21-9 overall record and 12-4 record in conference.
Prior to South Plains, Herl was the inaugural head coach at Northwest Kansas Tech College in his hometown of Goodland, Kansas. In three seasons as the Mavericks head coach, he led them to 56 total wins. His 56 wins were the most by all active NJCAA head coaches under the age of the 30 at the time. The Mavericks went 32-5 at home during his three years.
While at Northwest Kansas Tech, Herl coached future Dallas Maverick guard Gian Clavell who transferred to Colorado State and played for Hodge while he was on the Rams' staff.
Herl's coaching career began at his alma mater Colorado Mesa, where he graduated from in 2010. Herl served as an assistant coach after graduating and helped guide Colorado Mesa to the 2011 NCAA DII Tournament.
Season tickets for the 2023-24 Mean Green men and women's basketball teams are available now at www.meangreentickets.com. Tickets start as low as $99 for men's and $75 for women's basketball. For more information on tickets, contact the Mean Green Ticket Office at 940-565-2527 or at ticketoffice@unt.edu. Fans can visit the UNT Athletics Ticket Office located at Gate 2 of Apogee Stadium between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Estelle joins North Texas as an assistant coach after nine seasons as Texas A&M Kingsville's head coach. Herl heads to Denton after most recently spending five seasons at Missouri State. He was promoted to the Bears' associate head coach prior to last season.
"We are excited to welcome Johnny and Jase to our program," Hodge said. "I have known Johnny for over 23 years and during that time I have competed against him as a player and as a coach. His teams mirrored his competitive spirit and toughness. He has a complete understanding of the development of student-athletes, not only as players but as people. This combination has led to unprecedented success at his previous stops. We are thrilled to welcome Ana and their family to Denton."
In his nine seasons as the Javelinas' head coach, Estelle compiled a 137-112 record.
He led TAMUK to four NCAA DII Tournaments, including three since 2020 and its first NCAA DII Tournament win in program history. Prior to Estelle's arrival in Kingsville, the Hogs had only made four national tournaments in their then 89-year history and had never made consecutive tournaments before.
The Javelinas reached at least the semifinal round of the highly competitive Lone Star Conference tournament in each of the last four seasons. They made the championship game in 2021.
Two of the program's four best single season win totals are under Estelle, who graduated from TAMUK in 1996 and was an all-conference player for the Javelinas. He took over the program in 2014, which hadn't had a winning season in five years at that point.
In just Estelle's third season as TAMUK's head coach in 2016-17 he led the Javelinas to a 19-win season, which was tied for its most single season wins in 21 years. That season they defeated No. 9 Tarleton State during the regular season and No. 17 UT Permian Basin in the NCAA DII Tournament for the program's first-ever tournament win.
Prior to Texas A&M Kingsville, Estelle was an assistant coach for one season at Houston in 2013-14 under James Dickey.
His stint with the Cougars came after 13 seasons at Navarro College where he spent the final six as the Bulldogs' head coach and averaged 25 wins a year and won four Region XIV championships. They reached the 2010 NJCAA National Tournament semifinal round.
Estelle and his Navarro staff were successful in placing 21 of their student-athletes in NCAA Division I programs while retaining a 93.7 percent graduation rate during his tenure.
"I feel really fortunate we were able to add Jase," Hodge said. "I met Jase ten years ago while he was a young head coach and I have continued to be impressed with his growth in this profession. He is one of the bright young coaches in our game. He has had success everywhere he has been. Jase connects with student-athletes and is a great relationship builder. We couldn't be more excited to have Jase, Jacee and their family part of our program."
Jase Herl joins the Mean Green coaching staff as an assistant coach after five seasons at Missouri State where he helped guide the Bears to 17+ wins in each of the last three seasons including 23 wins in 2021-22.
During his time with the Bears, Herl helped mentor 15 All-MVC performers. Missouri State finished as Missouri Valley runners-up in 2022 and in third place in 2019 and 2021. They earned a trip to the NIT in 2022.
Missouri State, similar to North Texas, has been one of the top defenses in the nation over the last few seasons. The Bears held opponents to just 63.2 points per game this last year.
Herl brings with him to Denton 12 years of coaching experience that spans all levels.
From 2016-18 he was an assistant coach at Colorado State and served as the Rams' interim head coach in 2018 at just 30 years old. He led CSU to a 90-78 win over San Jose State in his first game as interim head coach.
Herl has also spent time as a DII and junior college coach.
In 2015-16 he was an assistant coach at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, where he helped lead the Texans to a 21-9 overall record and 12-4 record in conference.
Prior to South Plains, Herl was the inaugural head coach at Northwest Kansas Tech College in his hometown of Goodland, Kansas. In three seasons as the Mavericks head coach, he led them to 56 total wins. His 56 wins were the most by all active NJCAA head coaches under the age of the 30 at the time. The Mavericks went 32-5 at home during his three years.
While at Northwest Kansas Tech, Herl coached future Dallas Maverick guard Gian Clavell who transferred to Colorado State and played for Hodge while he was on the Rams' staff.
Herl's coaching career began at his alma mater Colorado Mesa, where he graduated from in 2010. Herl served as an assistant coach after graduating and helped guide Colorado Mesa to the 2011 NCAA DII Tournament.
Season tickets for the 2023-24 Mean Green men and women's basketball teams are available now at www.meangreentickets.com. Tickets start as low as $99 for men's and $75 for women's basketball. For more information on tickets, contact the Mean Green Ticket Office at 940-565-2527 or at ticketoffice@unt.edu. Fans can visit the UNT Athletics Ticket Office located at Gate 2 of Apogee Stadium between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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