Kyle Blackbourn was named the seventh head coach in the history of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside men’s basketball program in March of 2026, bringing with him a proven record of success as a head coach and a strong background in player development and program building.
Blackbourn arrived at Parkside following two highly successful seasons as the head coach at Rockhurst University, where he led the Hawks to one of the top stretches in program history. In 2025-26, he guided Rockhurst to a 23-7 overall record and the program’s first-ever Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) regular season championship. The Hawks earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region, marking the program’s fourth NCAA Tournament appearance, and achieved a program-best national ranking of No. 18. His team ranked among the most efficient offenses in the country, averaging 87.1 points per game and finishing eighth nationally in offensive efficiency, while also ranking ninth in the nation in fewest turnovers per game.
In his first season at Rockhurst (2024-25), Blackbourn led the program to a 17-12 record, matching its highest win total in more than a decade. The team excelled on both ends of the floor, ranking first nationally in defensive rebounding percentage and 15th in turnover percentage, while finishing third in the GLVC in scoring offense. His program also thrived academically, leading the conference in Academic All-District selections and placing nine student-athletes on the NABC Honors Court.
For his efforts during the 2025-26 campaign, Blackbourn was named the NABC Division II Midwest Coach of the Year.
Prior to returning to Rockhurst as head coach, Blackbourn spent eight seasons at the University of Wisconsin as the Director of Recruiting and Scouting under head coach Greg Gard. During his tenure with the Badgers, Wisconsin captured Big Ten regular season championships in 2020 and 2022, made five NCAA Tournament appearances, and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2017. The Badgers also reached the 2023 NIT Final Four and won the 2022 Maui Jim Invitational. Blackbourn played a key role in recruiting and developing elite talent, including 2022 National Player of the Year Johnny Davis.
Blackbourn previously served as an assistant coach at Rockhurst during the 2015-16 season, helping the program achieve its highest win total at the time since 2009-10 while ranking among conference leaders in scoring defense.
He began his head coaching career at Delta College (Mich.), where he posted a 19-13 record in his first season, setting a school record for wins by a first-year head coach. His team finished third in the conference, reached the district championship game, and earned victories over four ranked opponents, while producing four all-conference selections and a defensive player of the year.
Blackbourn also gained assistant coaching experience at Benedictine College and Grand View University. At Benedictine, he was part of a staff that went 41-21 over two seasons, highlighted by a conference championship and multiple all-conference and All-America honorees. At Grand View, he helped guide the program to a 17-13 record and an appearance in the conference tournament championship game.
A native of Shullsburg, Wisconsin, Blackbourn earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of Wisconsin–Platteville in 2011. He later completed a master’s degree in educational leadership with an emphasis in athletic administration from Benedictine College in 2014.
