IU Indy Athletics

Jason Gardner was named the eighth head coach in IUPUI men’s basketball program’s history on April 2, 2014 and enters his sixth season in 2019-2020. IUPUI has increased its win total from the prior year in four of his five seasons and captured just a third-ever postseason appearance in 2019 as the Jaguars were chosen to play in the CIT. Gardner ranks third on IUPUI's all-time list with 64 career wins and was a national finalist for the 2019 Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award, presented annually to the top Division I minority coach. 

IUPUI's 16 wins in 2018-19 were the program's most since winning 19 in 2010-11. 

Gardner, the 1999 winner of the Indiana Mr. Basketball Award, spent a year on the University of Memphis bench and two seasons at Loyola prior to taking over the Jaguars' program. 

His 50th career win was a benchmark victory as his Jaguars went on the road and won at Boston College, doing so on his 38th birthday. The Jaguars opened the season 8-3 overall, including winning the Niagara Regional of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Classic with victories over St. Francis Brooklyn and Grambling State. 

Gardner's student-athletes have racked up numerous awards since his taking over the program as he's coached an Academic All-American (Matt O'Leary), four all-league players, four academic all-league players and two major award winners in 2018-2019 as D.J. McCall (Def. POTY) and Jaylen Minnett (Sixth Man of the Year) gained top honors. 

In his first season on the Jaguars’ bench, he guided IUPUI to 10 wins, more than tripling the program’s Division I win total from a year prior. He's proven to be an innate recruiter, attracting high school standouts and Division I transfers alike to his Jaguars' program. 

While at Memphis, Gardner helped the Tigers to a 24-10 record as Shaq Goodwin and Joe Jackson earned All-Conference accolades. In addition, Memphis forward Austin Nichols was a unanimous selection to the American Athletics Conference All-Rookie Team after averaging 9.1 points and 4.2 boards per game. Gardner was a college teammate of current Memphis Head Coach Josh Pastner at Arizona.

Prior to coming to Memphis, Gardner was an assistant under Porter Moser at Loyola, helping the Ramblers to an eight-game improvement from 2011-12 to 2012-13. He coached Ben Averkamp to All-Horizon League accolades for two straight seasons, while Loyola point guard Cully Payne was a Bob Cousy Award nominee. He also helped recruit one of the top signing classes in the Horizon League prior to the 2012-13 season. Gardner’s coaching career began in 2010 when he served as an assistant at nearby Cathedral High School.

Gardner’s racked up numerous accolades during his prestigious high school, college and professional playing careers. He was a 1999 McDonald’s and Parade All-American while at North Central High School, finishing his prep career with a school record 1,669 points. He was a two-time Gatorade Circle of Champions Indiana Player of the Year and was named the 1998-99 Indianapolis County Player of the Year by The Indianapolis Star and Indianapolis News. His senior season, he helped NCHS to the IHSAA 4A state championship and Tournament of Champions title while averaging 22.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

The 5-foot-10 point guard was recruited to the University of Arizona by legendary Head Coach Lute Olsen, where he was a four-year All-American for the Wildcats. He was the 2002-03 Naismith National Player of the Year and Lowe’s Senior CLASS award recipient. He was the 2000 consensus National Freshman of the Year and closed his career as one of four players in Pac-12 history with 1,500 points, 500 assists and 200 steals for a career. He helped lead Arizona to two Pac-12 regular season titles (2000, 2003) and four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. The Wildcats made three Sweet Sixteens (2001, 2002, 2003), two Elite Eights (2001, 2003) and were the NCAA national runner-up in 2001. All total, Arizona won 107 games during Gardner’s four seasons and he still holds school records for games started (135) and minutes played (4,825), while ranking third in school history with 1,984 career points. He also finished second in threes made (318) and fourth in assists (622). He earned his degree from the university in 2011 in disciplinary studies.

Gardner later played professionally overseas for more than eight years, primarily in Germany. In 2009, he was named MVP of German Basketball Bundesliga after helping Oldenburg to the league crown, averaging 13.7 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 boards per game. He was a two-time Basketball Bundesliga All-Star, including starting the 2007 game.

Gardner has four children, Jasper, Jason Jr., Jacob and Jackson.