ELON – Elon men's basketball head coach Billy Taylor announced Monday the hiring of John Krikorian, an NCAA Division III national championship-winning head coach with more than 400 career victories, as an assistant coach for the Phoenix.
 
Krikorian arrives at Elon following 19 seasons as a collegiate head coach, including the past 15 at Christopher Newport University, where he built one of the nation's premier Division III programs. He owns a 427-126 career record and guided the Captains to the 2023 NCAA Division III National Championship, four Final Four appearances and 12 NCAA Tournament berths during his tenure.
 
"John is one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in college basketball," Taylor said. "What he built at Christopher Newport speaks for itself, with sustained excellence, championships, and a culture of consistency. He brings a proven eye for player development and a championship mindset that will lift our program. We're thrilled to welcome John, his wife, Emily, and his three children, Lillian Grace, Katherine Rose, and Jack, to Elon."
 
Krikorian most recently led Christopher Newport to a 25-6 record and a trip to the NCAA Division III National Semifinals in 2025-26, marking the program's fourth Final Four appearance in the last 10 NCAA Tournaments. The Captains also carry the nation's longest active NCAA Tournament appearance streak in Division III at 10 consecutive seasons.
 
Following the 2022-23 season, Krikorian was named the National Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches after leading Christopher Newport to a 30-3 record and the program's first national championship.
 
"I first met Billy Taylor when he was the head coach at Lehigh and I was an assistant at Lafayette, and then Navy," Krikorian said. "His teams were tough and together on both ends of the court, but more importantly he always treated everyone with respect. After reconnecting about this opportunity at Elon, and speaking with Director of Athletics Jenn Strawley, I felt great about the commitment Elon is making in men's basketball and its future under Coach Taylor. I can't wait to get started!"
 
Under Krikorian, Christopher Newport advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 12 of his 15 seasons and reached the national quarterfinals in four consecutive years, becoming just the fourth program in Division III history to accomplish the feat. His teams won at least 18 games in every season and advanced to conference championship games consistently in both the Capital Athletic Conference and Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference.
 
Before taking over at Christopher Newport in 2010, Krikorian spent four seasons as the head coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, compiling a 65-42 overall record and earning 2010 Landmark Conference Coach of the Year honors after leading the Mariners to a league title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
Krikorian also brings Division I experience to the Phoenix staff, having served as an assistant coach at Penn, Lafayette College (Pa.) and the United States Naval Academy.
 
THE KRIKORIAN FILE
Personal
Hometown: Auburn, Massachusetts
Alma Mater: Penn, 1996 (Systems Engineering)
 
Coaching Experience
1998-99: West Virginia Wesleyan (Graduate Assistant)
1999-00: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Assistant Coach)
2000-02: Pennsylvania (Assistant Coach)
2002-04: Lafayette College (Assistant Coach)
2004-06: U.S. Naval Academy (Assistant Coach)
2006-10: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Head Coach)
2010-26: Christopher Newport (Head Coach)
2026-Present: Elon (Assistant Coach)
 
Accolades
NCAA Division III Champion (2023)
4x NCAA Division III Final Four (2016, '19, '23, '26)
NABC Division III Coach of the Year (2023)
2x C2C Coach of the Year (2022, '25)
5x CAC Coach of the Year (2017-21)
Landmark Coach of the Year (2010)
 
SUPPORT THE PHOENIX
Fans can support Elon Athletics through the Phoenix Club.
 
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Elon men's basketball, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonMBasketball) and Instagram (@ElonMBasketball).