Darrin Horn was named the sixth men's basketball coach in NKU history on April 23, 2019. Over his first six years with the Norse, Horn has turned Northern Kentucky into one of the top mid-major programs in college basketball, with two Horizon League Championships and two NCAA appearances already on his resume.
Over six seasons, Horn had led NKU to a 115-72 (.615) record overall that includes a mark of 74-40 (.649) in Horizon League play. He celebrated his 250th career victory in style with the Norse's 2023 Horizon League Championship. Horn is currently ranked fifth all-time in school history in wins and is NKU’s all-time wins leader at the NCAA Division I level.
Following the 2024-25 campaign, Horn is also ranked first in the NKU DI era in winning percentage and is second in school history in the category behind Norse legend Ken Shields (306-170, .643).
2024-25
Season six under coach Horn saw the Norse have another winning season, the school's ninth consecutive such season. Northern Kentucky finished 17-16 overall and 11-9 in Horizon League play, going 12-6 at home and 5-10 on the road. After a slow 1-5 start to the season against tough competition including Florida State and ranked schools Purdue and Cincinnati, the Norse started to build some momentum in early December. NKU strung together five straight wins, starting off the streak with a wild win at the buzzer against IU Indianapolis, and then four straight wins at home, including wins over MEAC champion Norfolk State and Detroit Mercy. Northern Kentucky kicked off the new year with an overtime victory over Purdue Fort Wayne, improving to 3-1 in conference play as Trey Robinson poured in 26 points and eight rebounds. After a dominating 78-60 win over Green Bay, the Norse hit a bit of a backslide in the middle of January, but won seven of their final nine games of the regular season. The Norse bounced back with a nine-point win on the road over Oakland and a 85-75 home win over then-first place squad Cleveland State to kick off the month of February. NKU won its final four games of the Horizon League regular season, with most of those games coming down to the wire. NKU took down Detroit Mercy in its first round home game, 99-75, before falling to Cleveland State on the road in the quarterfinals. Trey Robinson was named a Horizon League All-League Third Team honoree following the regular season.Â
2023-24
Horn continued to keep the Norse atop the Horizon League once again in 2023-24 as NKU went 18-15 overall and 12-8 in conference play. Northern Kentucky advanced to the Horizon League Semifinals for the fifth straight season under Horn’s leadership, despite the loss of Preseason All-Conference standout Sam Vinson in late December. After the team readjusted, the Norse won three straight conference games over Detroit (January 13), Milwaukee (January 18) and Green Bay (January 20) and ended the regular season on a 6-2 run, a streak that started on February 8. The Norse advanced to the Horizon League Semis after an instant classic over Wright State in the quarterfinals. Randell Pettus II hit a game-tying shot off a missed free throw with just a second to play and NKU went on to win in overtime in a contest fans will remember forever. The Norse once again cleaned up conference honors as Trey Robisnon was named the Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-Defensive Team, Marques Warrick earned All-League First Team and the inaugural Sportsmanship Award and Randall Pettus II was an All-Freshman Team selection. The 2023-24 season also brought the end of NKU legend Marques Warrick’s career with the Norse. Warrick finished his legendary career as the program’s all-time leader in points scored (2,246), to go with the countless accolades he racked up during his four years in black and gold. His final honor was a NABC Division I All-District Second Team selection. Horn will enter the 2024-25 campaign needing just two victors for 100 wins for his NKU career.
2022-23
In his fourth season at the helm, Horn led NKU back to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in four years. The Norse captured the 2023 Horizon League Championship, the program's fourth title in the past seven seasons. Northern Kentucky then went on to put an absolute scare into No. 1 seed Houston in the tournament's opening round game. The Norse also posted one of the biggest wins in program history, as NKU knocked off crosstown rival Cincinnati, 64-51 in front of the largest crowd in school history. Overall, it was Horn's third 20-win season with NKU in his first four years with the program. As a team, the Norse set a school record with 329 steals on the year. NKU also finished the season ranked fourth in the NCAA in total steals, seventh in steals per game (9.4), 21st in turnovers forced per game (15.69) and tied for 26th in scoring defense (allowed just 63.5 points per contest). Trevon Faulkner earned the first Horizon League Sixth Man of the Year award in program history. Sam Vinson was named to the league's All-Defenisve Team and Third-Team All-League. Marques Warrick also took home All-League Second Team honors for the second consecutive year.
2021-22
NKU bounced back with another 20-win season as the Norse made it all the way to the Horizon League Championship game in Horn's third year. Northern Kentucky won the Horizon's Freshman of the Year for the second straight season as Sam Vinson claimed the award to go with All-Freshman Team honors. Marques Warrick was also selected for the All-League Second Team.
2020-21
In his second year on the job, Horn led NKU to a 14-11 record overall to go with a 11-7 mark in Horizon League play as the team advanced all the way to the Horizon semifinals. Marques Warrick was named the Horizon's Freshman of the Year to go with All-Freshman Team and All-League Third Team selections. Trevon Faulker was also named All-League Second Team.
2019-20
In his first year at the helm for Northern Kentucky, Horn led the Norse to their fourth-straight 20-win season, a second-place finish in the Horizon League regular-season and the program's third Horizon League Tournament Championship in a four-year span. The Norse earned a NCAA Tournament bid, but the national tournament was unfortunately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jalen Tate was named the Horizon League's Defensive Player of the Year to go with All-Defensive Team and Third-Team All-League honors. Tyler Sharpe also earned a Second-Team All-League selection.
PRIOR TO NKU
Before making his way to Highland Heights, Horn was the Associate Head Coach at Texas under Shaka Smart where he spent four years total, which included serving as an assistant for three seasons. During his four years with the Longhorns, Horn helped develop Texas’ front court players, which included Mohamed Bamba, who was drafted No. 6 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, Jaxson Hayes, who was drafted No. 8 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Jarrett Allen, who was drafted No. 22 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft and Jericho Sims, who was drafted No. 53 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. In his four years at Texas, Horn helped the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances and an NIT championship.
Horn also has head coaching experience before becoming head coach of the Norse. From 2008-12, he was the head coach at South Carolina. In his first season at South Carolina, he led the team to a 21-10 record, which included an SEC Eastern Division Co-Championship and an NIT appearance. The 2009-10 South Carolina team upset No. 1 Kentucky, which was the Gamecocks first win over a top-ranked opponent in school history. Horn finished his tenure at South Carolina with a 60-63 record.
Before taking over at South Carolina, Horn was the head coach at Western Kentucky, his alma mater. In his five seasons at WKU, Horn accumulated a 111-48 (.698) record and led the team to two NIT appearances and an NCAA Tournament berth. His 2007-08 team finished the season with a 29-7 record, and advanced all the way to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. As a No. 12 seed, the Hilltoppers defeated No. 5 seed Drake and No. 13 seed San Diego, before falling to top-seeded UCLA in the Sweet 16.
PLAYING CAREER
Horn was a standout player at Western Kentucky. A four-time letter winner and three-year starter at guard for the Hilltoppers, Horn amassed 1,115 points and 139 steals. He led WKU reach national postseason play in four-straight seasons. After an NIT berth in 1992, Horn helped the Hilltoppers earn NCAA Tournament berths over the next three years. During his sophomore season (1992-93), WKU recorded a 26-6 overall record and advanced to the Sweet 16. Horn was an All-Sun Belt selection in his senior year (1994-95), and the Hilltoppers went 27-4, including a 17-1 mark in Sun Belt play. WKU won the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament titles to advance to the NCAA Tournament, where the Hilltoppers defeated Michigan in the First Round.
FORMER STUDENT-ATHLETES IN THE NBA
-Â Dwayne Wade (Marquette, NBA Hall of Famer, Drafted No. 5 in 2003)
- Travis Diener (Marquette, Drafted No. 38 in 2005)
- Steve Novak (Marquette, Drafted No. 32 in 2006)
- Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky, Drafted No. 22 in 2008)
- Jeremy Evans (Western Kentucky, Drafted 55th in 2010)
- Isaiah Taylor (Texas)
- Jarrett Allen (Texas, Drafted No. 22 in 2017)
- Mo Bamba (Texas, Drafted No. 6Â in 2018)
- Jaxson Hayes (Texas, Drafted No. 8Â in 2019)
- Jericho Sims (Texas, Drafted No. 53Â in 2021)
PERSONAL
Horn is a native of Lexington, Kentucky. He and his wife Carla have a daughter, Caroline, and a son, Walker.
Darrin Horn Day is celebrated in his hometown of Lexington on November 1.
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| Year-by-Year Coaching Record and Timeline |
| Year |
School |
Position |
Record |
Conference |
Finish |
Postseason |
| 2024-25 |
Northern Kentucky |
Head Coach |
17-16 |
11-9 |
T-6th |
- |
| 2023-24 |
Northern Kentucky |
Head Coach |
18-15 |
12-8 |
5th |
- |
| 2022-23 |
Northern Kentucky |
Head Coach |
23-9 |
13-5 |
T-2nd |
NCAA First Round |
| 2021-22 |
Northern Kentucky |
Head Coach |
20-12 |
14-6 |
3rd |
- |
| 2020-21 |
Northern Kentucky |
Head Coach |
14-11 |
11-7 |
4th |
- |
| 2019-20 |
Northern Kentucky |
Head Coach |
23-9 |
13-5 |
2nd |
NCAA Qualifier |
| 2011-12 |
South Carolina |
Head Coach |
10-21 |
2-14 |
12th |
- |
| 2010-11 |
South Carolina |
Head Coach |
14-16 |
5-11 |
6th East |
- |
| 2009-10 |
South Carolina |
Head Coach |
15-16 |
6-10 |
5th East |
- |
| 2008-09 |
South Carolina |
Head Coach |
21-10 |
10-6 |
2nd East |
NIT First Round |
| 2007-08 |
Western Kentucky |
Head Coach |
29-7 |
16-2 |
T-1st East |
NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2006-07 |
Western Kentucky |
Head Coach |
22-11 |
12-6 |
2nd East |
- |
| 2005-06 |
Western Kentucky |
Head Coach |
23-8 |
12-2 |
1st East |
NIT First Round |
| 2004-05 |
Western Kentucky |
Head Coach |
22-9 |
9-5 |
2nd East |
NIT Second Round |
| 2003-04 |
Western Kentucky |
Head Coach |
15-13 |
8-6 |
5th |
- |
|
|
Total
(15 Seasons) |
285-187Â (.616) |
154-102
(.602) |
- |
Three NCAA Appearances,
Three NIT Bids |
|
|
NKU Total
(6 Seasons) |
115-72Â
(.615) |
74-40Â
(.649) |
- |
Two NCAA Appearances,
Two Horizon League Titles |
COACHING TIMELINE
- Northern Kentucky University Head Coach (2020-Present)
- University of Texas Associate Head Coach (2018-19)
- University of Texas Assistant Coach (2015-2018)
- University of South Carolina Head Coach (2008-2012)
- Western Kentucky University Head Coach (2003-2008)
- Marquette University Assistant Coach (1999-2003)
- Morehead State University Assistant Coach (1997-1999)
- Western Kentucky University Assistant Coach (1995-1997)
