Norfolk State Spartans coach Robert Jones is reportedly negotiating with the University of Illinois Chicago to become the program's new head coach, according to a report from Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68. HBCU Legends has reached out to Coach Jones and UIC regarding the report.
Coach Jones, 44, and the No. 1-seeded Spartans are preparing to host the CIT game with the Alabama A&M and Austin Peay contest winner.
Norfolk State lost to Howard University, 80-74, in the 2023-24 MEAC Men's Basketball Tournament semifinal. Jones and NSU had NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament visits in 2021 and 2022 and won the MEAC regular-season title three times in 2019, 2022, 2021 (Nothern Division), and 2023.
During his eleven seasons at Norfolk State, Jones has been considered one of the best basketball coaches in HBCU sports. He's led the Spartans to a coaching record of 210-149 in his tenure and earned three MEAC Coach of the Year honors.
Jones is a native of South Jamaica, New York.
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