Biography: Jon Hawkins begins his second season as head coach of NNU men’s basketball in 2024-25.

During the 2023-24 season, Hawkins led the Nighthawks to a 17-10 overall record and second-place in the GNAC at 13-5, the best conference mark since NNU joined Division II. NNU defeated nationally ranked Saint Martin’s twice, as well as handing GNAC regular season champion Montana State Billings their only home loss in conference play. Hawkins also had three players named to All-GNAC squads.

After eight seasons as an assistant coach, Jon Hawkins was named the 19th head men’s basketball coach in Northwest Nazarene history last summer. During his eight seasons as a coach dating back to the 2015-16 season, the Nighthawks compiled an overall record of 108-93, including a 75-48 mark over the last five seasons. The Nighthawks have been especially tough at home, going 50-19 (.725) in games played at the Johnson Sports Center.

During his time as an assistant and associate head coach, the Nighthawks qualified for the NCAA Tournament twice (with a Sweet 16 appearance in 2020-21) and won the GNAC Championship in 2022-23. In 2020, Hawkins was named to the Silver Wave’s Media 50 Impactful NCAA DII Assistant Coach list.

During two seasons as a student-athlete at NNU, Hawkins averaged 11.2 points per game, dished out 182 assists and led all NCAA Division II players with a 94.1 free-throw shooting percentage in the 2012-13 season.

Before rejoining the NNU family in 2015, Hawkins played in the Gold Coast’s Intensity Super League, one of the top summer leagues in Australia. He then toured with Athletes in Action to Israel after playing half a season in the top league in Latvia for Jurmalas-Fenikss.

Hawkins and his wife, Savanah, live in Nampa with their two sons, Callahan and Boden, and have a third child on the way.

Favorite Thing About Working at NNU: How much our faculty, staff and leadership truly care about impacting students’ lives. Every decision made are ways to further the growth and development of every student not just academically, but as a whole person.

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