Jeremy Ballard was officially introduced as the ninth head coach in the history of the FIU men’s basketball program on April 23, 2018, at a press conference in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, and in his seventh season at the helm of the Panthers, Ballard has established a new culture of winning while also starting to re-write the program’s record books. Ballard, who is approaching 100 wins as head coach, became FIU's all-time Division I wins leader following a 74-59 win over LIU on Dec. 2, 2023.
During his first year on the sidelines at FIU, Ballard guided the Panthers to a 20-14 record and a 10-8 mark in Conference USA (C-USA) play. The team’s 20 wins marked just the third time in school history that FIU logged 20-or-more victories and were tied for the second most in a single season, while the 10 C-USA wins was the most since joining the conference. In addition, the Panthers advanced to only their second postseason tournament in program history taking part in the Collegeinsider.com Tournament (CIT) and advancing to the second round. During the first round of the CIT, the Blue and Gold won their first-ever postseason tournament game with an 87-81 victory at Texas State.
Under Ballard’s tutelage, several student-athletes had breakout seasons, including Brian Beard, Jr. and Osasumwen Osaghae who found themselves among the nation’s elite statistically. Beard, Jr. finished his senior season setting new single-season school records for assists (203) and steals (100), while also leading C-USA in steals-per-game (3.0) and finishing second in assists-per-contest (6.0). Beard, Jr. was also ranked second nationally in steals-per-game and 21st in assists-per-outing. Osaghae proved to be one of the top shot blockers in the country, rejecting a C-USA best 3.1 shots-per-contest, an average that was fourth in the nation. Both Beard, Jr. and Osaghae were named to the C-USA All-Defensive Team while Beard, Jr. earned Second Team All-C-USA honors.
As a team, the Panthers set several single-season school records, including points (2,798), rebounds (1,218), assists (491) and steals (359), led the nation in steals-per-game (10.6), turnover margin (5.6) and turnovers forced (19.6), and was second in total steals.
Because of the Panthers’ efforts, Ballard was named a finalist for the Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year Award, given to America’s top first year head coach in Division I, and the Ben Jobe Award, presented to the top minority coach in Division I.
Ballard’s winning ways continued during the 2019-20 season when the Panthers went 19-13 before the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
During his second season at FIU, Ballard’s squad finished with a 9-9 league record, earning the fifth seed for the program’s highest ever seeding for the C-USA Tournament. During the conference tournament, the Panthers Took down Rice 85-76 for the programs second ever win during the conference tournament.
The FIU squad led the nation in blocked shots (210) and swats per contest (6.6) during the 2019-20 campaign. The team also ranked 11th in three-point defense (28.8) and total steals (280). The Panthers 8.8 steals per game ranked 13th nationally.
A pair of FIU players earned Conference USA Second Team Honors with Osasumwen Osaghae and Devon Andrews taking home the honors during Ballard’s second season. Along with the award, Osaghae was named to the all-defensive team and earned FIU’s first ever Conference USA superlative after being named the Defensive Player of the Year.
Osaghae paced the country with 122 blocks for a nation’s best 3.8 swats per outing average. The senior was also third in the NCAA with a 67.1 field-goal percentage. Osaghae also averaged 8.1 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 0.8 steals per contest. The Miami native also received C-USA Player of the Week honors once (11/25) during his final season in the Navy and Gold.
Andrews was named to the Conference USA Preseason Team prior to the 2019-20 season. Th senior was the Panthers’ first preseason team honoree since Adrian Diaz in 2015-16. The Ohio native was named the C_USA Player of the week once (1/6) during his final season at FIU. He led the Panther squad with 15.4 points per outing while placing second on the squad with 28.2 minutes per contest. In league play only, Andrews logged 14.7 points per game while shooting 40.3% from the field and 37.8% from three.
During the 2020-21 season, FIU went 9-17 overall and 2-15 against C-USA opponents. Ballard mentored a team that broke a pair of program records during the squad's dominant 111-34 victory over Carver. The Panthers' 34 assists and 20 made three-pointers were the new program records set. The previous mark for assists was set in 1990, while the last record from three was set at Cleveland State in 2019.
In 2021-22, the Panthers finished 15-17 and 5-13 in CUSA, matching up with Marshall in the opening round of the CUSA Tournament. Newcomer Denver Jones had a standout freshman campaign under Ballard's tutelage, averaging 12.5 ppg in his first year in blue and gold.
The 2022-23 season saw Ballard's Panthers finish with a 14-18 overall record and 8-12 record in CUSA play, an increase of three conference wins for the second-straight season. Following the season, Jones became the first Panther to notch First Team All-C-USA recognition in program history, becoming just the ninth first-team selection overall at FIU, while marking the program's first first-team selection since Tymell Murphy in 2013 (Sun Belt).
Adding to the list of Panther accolades, freshman Arturo Dean was named the CUSA Freshman of the Year, a first for the FIU program in the CUSA era. Dean and fellow guard Dashon Gittens were also both named to the All-Freshman team and Dean earned a spot on the All-Defensive Team.
Ballard coached the Panthers to an 11-22 record and 5-11 mark in CUSA play during the 2023-24 season, highlighted by a first round victory at the CUSA Tournament over Jacksonville State, the program's first CUSA Tournament win since 2018. Following the season, Dean was named Third Team All-CUSA and to his second-consecutive All-Defensive Team while guard Javaunte Hawkins earned Honorable Mention status.
Ballard arrived at FIU after serving as associate head coach at VCU in 2017-18. He has spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach at the Division I level with coaching stints at Pitt, Illinois State, VCU, Tulsa and his alma mater Colgate.
As associate head coach at VCU, Ballard was reunited with current VCU head coach Mike Rhoades, who he coached with prior on the staff of former VCU head coach and current Texas head coach Shaka Smart. Ballard’s main focus was VCU’s defense. The Rams finished 18-15 this past season and advanced to the Atlantic 10 Conference Quarterfinals. Forward Justin Tillman was named All-Atlantic 10 Conference First Team, as well as to the All-Defensive Team.
His most successful stretch came with the Rams from 2012-15. Ballard helped lead VCU to a 79-28 mark and three straight NCAA Tournament appearances during his initial tenure in Richmond from 2012-15. During that time, VCU won at least 26 games each season and finished each season ranked in the Associated Press Top-25. In all, Ballard coached three eventual NBA players at VCU, including Troy Daniels, Briante Weber and Treveon Graham.
At the time of his hiring at FIU, Ballard was the sixth former Smart assistant to become a head coach. Rhoades, Will Wade (LSU), Mike Jones (Radford), Jamion Christian (Mount St. Mary’s) and Mike Morrell (UNC Asheville) are the others.
Ballard served as an assistant on Kevin Stallings’ Pitt staff during the 2016-17 season, where he coached All-ACC Third Team and USBWA All-District II forward Michael Young and All-ACC Honorable Mention selection Jamel Artis. Young led the ACC in scoring averaging 19.6 points per game. Young went on to sign with the Washington Wizards while Artis signed with the Orlando Magic.
In 2015-16, Ballard helped guide Illinois State to an 18-14 overall record and a 12-6 Missouri Valley Conference mark, which tied for second place and signified ISU’s highest league finish and most conference wins since 2007-08. Working primarily with Illinois State’s forwards, Ballard helped MiKyle McIntosh earn MVC Most-Improved Team accolades. McIntosh was also a 2016 All-MVC Honorable Mention Team selection.
In 2014-15, Ballard helped VCU to its first Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament title. VCU was ranked as high as No. 10 in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll during that period, and on his watch, the Rams earned five all-conference accolades, including two first-team honors.
During his first year as an assistant with the Rams, Ballard worked closely with shooting guard Troy Daniels, who would set a VCU single-season school record with 124 3-pointers. Daniels has since played for four NBA franchises. He signed a multi-year contract extension with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2016 and currently is with the Phoenix Suns.
Ballard’s three seasons on Smart’s staff at VCU (2012-15) were preceded by five seasons at Tulsa (2007-12) where he helped guide the Golden Hurricane to 109 victories, including three 20-plus win seasons. Tulsa had nine all-conference honorees, including a first-team selection in each of his final four seasons with the Golden Hurricane. Ballard either recruited or coached three NBA players – Jordan Clarkson, Jerome Jordan and Ben Uzoh – during his time at Tulsa.
In his first season, Tulsa piled up 25 wins and a berth in the Conference USA championship game. The Golden Hurricane eventually won the inaugural College Basketball Invitational Championship and that postseason appearance was followed by back-to-back National Invitation Tournament showings.
Prior to his time with the Golden Hurricane, Ballard was an assistant at his alma mater Colgate University (2004-07). During his time as a student-athlete at Colgate, Ballard won the prestigious ECAC Merit Medal Award twice, becoming only the third player in Colgate history to do so. He twice earned Patriot League Academic Honor Roll recognition and was given the title of the team’s best defensive player by the coaching staff during his senior season. Ballard also served as a captain during his senior season.
An Atlanta native, Ballard graduated from Colgate in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in religion. He has a son, Khalif Jamal.
