Jory Collins

Getting opportunities is part of the battle but it’s what you do with those opportunities and the hard work, time and effort you put in that determine your success and perhaps your future opportunities. Former Holton Wildcat, Jory Collins has taken advantage of his opportunities to now find his way onto the sideline of a NCAA Division I Women’s basketball program as an assistant coach at the University of Kansas.

The Holton native was a standout athlete in the sports of football and basketball and after high school went on to continue his education at Emporia State where he earned a BS in elementary education and Master’s in educational administration. While at Emporia State he served as a practice player and student/volunteer assistant from 2000-2003. In 2004 he returned to the program as a graduate assistant and eventually worked himself to a full assistant in the spring of 2007.

In 2009-10 season Collins serving as the top assistant under Brandon Schneider helped the lady Hornets basketball team to the NCAA DII National title. Collins then took over the program as the Head Coach as Schneider left to take over at Stephen F. Austin.

Collins took over the Emporia State program in the 2010-11 season and through eight seasons guided the team to five MIAA Championships, seven conference titles, six NCAA Tournaments, six trips to the Sweet 16 and one Final Four berth in 2015. The former Holton Wildcat notched 20+ wins in seven of his eight seasons with the Hornets and a career record of 199-58.

Jory now heads to Lawrence and reunites with Schneider as one of his assistant coaches this time at the University of Kansas. Collins looks to help Schneider continue to build up the lady Jayhawks basketball program as Schneider is just coming off his third season as head coach at KU after five years at Stephen F. Austin.

The Jayhawks under Schneider have went from six wins his first season to 12 this past year his third season. Schneider and Collins hope to rekindle some of their success at Emporia State now together at the NCAA DI level with the lady Jayhawks women’s basketball program.