John Peckinpaugh joined the IU Indianapolis men's basketball program and head coach Ben Howlett's coaching staff in June 2025, bringing a trusted name with Indiana roots to the program.Â
Peckinpaugh spent the past four seasons as head coach at Kokomo High School, going 86-25 overall with a Class 4A Final Four appearance in 2022 and a state runner-up appearance in 2023. He finished ranked No. 8 on the program's all-time list in career wins (86) with the best winning percentage (.775) in school history. He coached 2024 McDonald's All-American and two-time Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year Flory Bidunga, who was ranked among the nation's top big men in that recruiting cycle.Â
He also had the opportunity to coach the 2024 Indiana All-Star Team.Â
He previously spent two years as head coach at Noblesville High School after previous head coaching stops at Indiana Tech and Wheeling Jesuit. He coached against Howlett as head coach at Wheeling Jesuit in 2018-19 in his lone season in Wheeling, W.Va. He spent the 2017-18 season as an assistant at his alma mater, IPFW, helping them to an 18-15 record, which included a road win at Indiana.
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He previously spent three seasons (2014-17)Â as the head coach at Indiana Tech, turning a team with 10 wins his first year into a 23-win program that earned an NAIA Tournament berth. He was named the 2015-16 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Coach of the Year. In his final year as the head coach, he led Indiana Tech to another 20-win season, which included a 19-point road win over No. 8-ranked and NAIA national-power Davenport.
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In three seasons at Indiana Tech, he compiled a 54-40 overall record with two 20-plus win seasons. He coached nine WHAC All-Academic Team honorees, six All-WHACÂ selections and three NAIA All-Americans.
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His first stint at his alma mater was as a graduate assistant at IPFW for the 2013-14 campaign, helping the Mastodons to a program-record 25 wins and a first-ever postseason tournament. He began his men's basketball coaching career during the 2012-13 season at Indiana Tech as an assistant coach. He helped the Warriors to a 20-10 mark for that one year.
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As a player, Peckinpaugh played in 108 games, including 61 starts, for Purdue Fort Wayne from the 2008-12 seasons. He helped the Mastodons finish over .500 during his sophomore and junior years, which were the first two winning seasons as a Division I member in school history.
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Peckinpaugh starred at Muncie Central High School, where he was a starter on a pair of state runner-up teams and three NCC Conference Champions.
PECKINPAUGH'S COACHING FILE
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
POSITION |
REC |
FINISH |
| 2012-13 |
Indiana Tech      |
Asst. Coach |
20-10 |
|
| 2013-14 |
IPFW |
Asst. Coach |
25-11 |
SL Tourney runner-up; CollegeInsider.com 2nd rd. |
| 2014-15 |
Indiana Tech |
Head Coach |
10-20 |
|
| 2015-16 |
Indiana Tech |
Head Coach |
23-10 |
NAIA National Tourney 1st rd. |
| 2016-17 |
Indiana Tech |
Head Coach |
20-11 |
|
| 2017-18 |
IPFW |
Asst. Coach |
18-15 |
CollegeInsider.com 1st rd. |
| 2018-19 |
Wheeling Univ. |
Head Coach |
9-21 |
|
| 2019-20 |
Noblesville HS |
Head Coach |
11-13 |
|
| 2020-21 |
Noblesville HS |
Head Coach |
11-11 |
|
| 2021-22 |
Kokomo HS |
Head Coach |
19-8 |
Sectional & Regional Champions |
| 2022-23 |
Kokomo HS |
Head Coach |
24-5 |
IHSAA Class 4A State runner-up |
| 2023-24 |
Kokomo HS |
Head Coach |
25-4 |
Sectional Champions |
| 2024-25 |
Kokomo HS |
Head Coach |
17-8 |
|
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