University of Akron Men’s Basketball Coach Dustin Ford Announces Three New Coaching Staff Additions

The University of Akron has announced three new additions to its men’s basketball coaching staff under head coach Dustin Ford, with the appointments aimed at strengthening the program ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Ford revealed that Jay Shunnar, Todd May and Joshua Jones will join his coaching staff, with Shunnar being named associate head coach. The announcements were made on April 23, 2026, as the Zips prepare for their upcoming campaign.

Shunnar comes to Akron after spending the 2025-26 season at North Texas, where he served on the coaching staff under head coach Daniyal Robinson. During his time with the Mean Green, he contributed to a season that saw North Texas finish tied for fifth in the American Conference standings and reach the quarterfinals of the 2026 American Conference Tournament.

The 2025-26 North Texas team achieved 19 wins, marking the second-most in program history by a first-year coaching staff. Their nine conference wins also ranked as the second-most by a first-year staff in school history, while the team’s .576 win percentage was the second-best ever by a first-year North Texas staff in its Division I era and the best in 50 years.

Shunnar played a key role in the development of sophomore guard Je’Shawn Stevenson, who earned second-team All-American Conference honors after averaging 17.3 points and 2.0 steals per game. Stevenson scored 572 total points that season, the fourth-most in the conference, and led the team in three-pointers with 74 made. His 66 steals were the second-most in North Texas single-season history and led the league that year.

Prior to his stint at North Texas, Shunnar spent three seasons on Daniyal Robinson’s coaching staff at Cleveland State, continuing a professional relationship that brought him to Akron. Ford emphasized Shunnar’s interpersonal strengths in announcing the hire.

We couldn’t be happier to name Jay our Associate Head Coach. Jay is a guy who builds relationships and has worked with some of the best coaches in the game. By having someone like Jay on the staff, he will make everyone’s job easier. His personality and energy is contagious. It makes me feel good knowing I have a coach like Jay around to help us make big decisions.

Dustin Ford

In addition to Shunnar’s promotion, Ford confirmed that assistant coaches Terry Weigand and Devan Morrow will return to the staff for the upcoming season, completing the coaching lineup. Weigand and Morrow were both part of Ford’s staff during his nine seasons as associate head coach under former head coach John Groce before Ford’s promotion to head coach in March 2026.

Ford, who was named the 23rd head coach in Akron men’s basketball history on March 30, 2026, has been associated with the program for over a decade. During his nine seasons as associate head coach under Groce, he helped develop the Zips into one of the Mid-American Conference’s most consistent contenders while contributing to six MAC championships, including three consecutive MAC Tournament titles and four NCAA postseason appearances in the last five seasons.

Throughout his tenure at Akron, Ford played a significant role in the development of frontcourt players Enirque Freeman and Amani Lyles. His coaching experience also includes stops at Illinois and Ohio State before returning to Akron, where he now leads the program into its next chapter.

The additions of Shunnar, May, and Jones represent Ford’s first major staffing decisions as head coach, signaling his vision for the program’s direction as the Zips look to build on their recent success in the MAC and prepare for the challenges of the 2026-27 season.