theday
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — R.J. Evans faced a pivotal decision in his coaching career last year. After 12 seasons as a Division I assistant, he contemplated stepping away from the profession entirely, feeling the grind had taken a toll on his family life. The former Norwich Free Academy standout wanted more time with his wife, Ashley, and their two daughters, Charlotte, 5, and Ella.
“I felt like I was missing a lot with my kids,” Evans said, reflecting on his time as an assistant at Northern Kentucky. “My number one job at the end of the day is my family. I didn't know what I wanted to do, whether it was high school or just something different.”
Evans, now 36, found a perfect compromise as the head coach at American International College in Springfield, Mass., a position he accepted in April. The move brought him back to New England, trading Ohio for Glastonbury, Conn., where he now resides. He grew up in Salem, and Ashley hails from Griswold. This summer, he enjoyed precious moments with his family, including taking Charlotte, a devoted Messi fan, to a World Cup match and attending the wedding of friend and fellow NFA alum Garvin McAlister.
“Being a Division I assistant for a long time, you look for different opportunities,” Evans said, sitting inside AIC's Butova Gymnasium. “To be really honest, there was a part of me that almost moved on from coaching just because of family life. I wouldn't say I was homesick, but I felt like being closer to home would be better for me and my family. This gives me the best of both worlds. Like, right now, I don't have summer workouts, so my schedule is a little bit more lenient. I've spent so much time with my kids this summer, which has been awesome. But I've also built a team and we're getting stuff ready for the year. I'll still get to compete and be a head coach, so it's a great opportunity.”
Key Analysis
The stars aligned for Evans to land at AIC. While researching potential coaching openings, he discovered that Rob Kearney, a former NFA classmate and football teammate, served as the school's athletic director. The two rekindled their friendship, and when the job became available, Kearney reached out. Kearney admitted he initially thought Evans might be a long shot, given his Division I pedigree, but Evans's immediate interest sealed the deal. “Once he showed interest, I pretty much knew he was going to be my guy,” Kearney said. “When he got here at AIC, he automatically made himself available to every player on the roster. He went around meeting every single coach that we have in the building and had this different level of excellence and expectation that hadn't been in this building for a while that I think people are getting excited about.”
Further connections made the move feel destined: Evans's high school coach at NFA, Neal Curland, is an AIC graduate, as is UConn legend Jim Calhoun, under whom Evans played a graduate season. His best friend, Stephen Lampkin, also attended AIC. Before accepting, Evans sought advice from trusted mentors, including Calhoun and Oklahoma City head coach Mark Daigneault, who coached him at Holy Cross. The consensus was clear: with the right support, he should pursue the opportunity. “(Coach Calhoun) said being a head coach can change your life in a lot of different ways, so you should definitely look into it,” Evans recalled. “He was great.”
Evans brings a wealth of experience from assistant stints at Northern Kentucky (2024-26), Holy Cross (2019-24), UNC Asheville (2018-19), Louisville (2017-18), Texas (2015-17), and Nichols College (2014-15). Now, he embraces the challenge of rebuilding an AIC program that has won just nine games over the past two seasons, including only seven in Northeast-10 play. He still has roster spots to fill and an assistant to hire, but he's already selling his vision. “AIC is a school that needs to be gritty, needs to attack and go after people,” Evans said. “I think if we can find some guys like that, we're going to be a tough out. I want to be the hardest-playing, most connected team in the league. I want people to walk through these doors and say, 'Man, we have to play these dudes again?' That's the kind of team I'm trying to build. And that's who I am as a coach. I'm very energetic, passionate and fiery. We're going to get after people.”
Evans will lead his first practice in the fall, with the season opener set for Nov. 13 in Philadelphia. Had he chosen a different path, he would have missed what he values most: helping young athletes grow. “I'm still in the business because one of the big things about me is I love to pay it forward. A lot of people in my life helped me get to where I am. I love being a conduit for that for other kids,” Evans said. “I love basketball, but it's more about helping kids. The kids you saw in the gym today, I want them to graduate, get good jobs, be good husbands, good dads, good people in their community. That means a lot more to me than anything. That's what it's really all about. Obviously, I want to win games, win championships. That's why we play the game, we want to compete in every aspect. But helping kids is super important to me.”
Originally reported by theday.