Air Force Hires Penn State Assistant Joe Crispin as New Head Coach

Crispin, 46, takes over a struggling Falcons program that hasn't had a winning season since 2012-13.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 10:10pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Air Force has hired Penn State assistant Joe Crispin to become the Falcons' new head coach, according to a report from CBS Sports. Crispin, 46, just completed his third season on Mike Rhoades' coaching staff at Penn State, where the Nittany Lions finished 12-20 (3-17 Big East). Air Force is coming off the worst season in program history, going 3-29 (0-20 Mountain West) with a 25-game losing streak, the longest active skid in Division I.

Why it matters

Air Force has struggled mightily in recent years, failing to post a winning season since 2012-13 and not making the NCAA Tournament since 2005-06. The hiring of Crispin, a former Division III head coach and NBA player, represents an attempt to turn around the Falcons' fortunes and restore the program to relevance in the Mountain West Conference.

The details

Crispin, a point guard at Penn State, played professionally in the U.S. and overseas from 2001-12, including brief stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. He served as the head coach at Division III Rowan in New Jersey from 2016-23 before joining Penn State's staff. Air Force fired former head coach Joe Scott on Feb. 21 after an investigation into his treatment of cadet-athletes, and the team finished the season 0-12 under interim coach Jon Jordan.

  • Air Force just concluded the 2025-26 season with a 3-29 (0-20 Mountain West) record, including a 25-game losing streak.
  • Former Falcons head coach Joe Scott was fired on Feb. 21, 2026.
  • Air Force finished the 2025-26 season 0-12 under interim coach Jon Jordan.

The players

Joe Crispin

A 46-year-old former point guard at Penn State who has served as an assistant coach at his alma mater for the past three seasons. Crispin also has head coaching experience at the Division III level, leading Rowan University from 2016-23.

Joe Scott

The former head coach of the Air Force Falcons who was fired on Feb. 21, 2026, after an investigation into his treatment of cadet-athletes.

Jon Jordan

The interim head coach who led the Air Force Falcons to a 0-12 record to finish the 2025-26 season after Joe Scott's firing.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

Crispin will look to quickly implement his vision and coaching style as he takes over a struggling Air Force program that hasn't had a winning season in over a decade.

The takeaway

The hiring of Joe Crispin represents a fresh start for the Air Force basketball program, which is hoping the former Penn State assistant and Division III head coach can turn things around and restore the Falcons to relevance in the Mountain West Conference.