Carleton Knights

Ryan Kershaw is the 12th head coach in program history as he was promoted to the position in 2022 following 11 years as an assistant coach at Carleton, the final three as associate head coach. Kershaw ranks 33rd among NCAA Division III men’s basketball coaches with a .685 career win percentage (74-34). 

In their first season under Kershaw's direction, the Knights went 24-4 (.857) overall, breaking the program record for victories in a single year. Carleton was 17-3 in conference action, winning the 2022-23 MIAC's regular-season title by four games and earning him the league's Coach of the Year Award. This was the 20th conference title in program history but the first outright crown since 1965-66. The Knights then claimed the MIAC Playoff Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history. Along the way, Carleton received its first-ever top-25 national ranking from D3hoops.com. Kershaw joined Guy Kalland (2005-06) as the only Carleton men's basketball coaches to earn the NABC's Region Coach of the Year Award.
 
Carleton has qualified for the MIAC Playoffs in each season under Kershaw's direction, including a return trip to the MIAC Championship game in 2025.

Since Kershaw took over the program, the Knights have earned eight All-MIAC selections — including MIAC Offensive Player of the Year Luke Harris ’25 — with five others receiving All-Conference Honorable Mention and two MIAC Rookies of the Year. Carleton players have collected six All-Region awards, including All-American Jeremy Beckler ’23, who became the first Carleton men's basketball player selected to participate in the NABC Division III All-Star game and was a Jostens Trophy finalist. As an assistant coach, Kershaw worked with former Knight Freddie Gillespie, who was one of two former NCAA Division III players to play in the NBA during the 2021-22 season.
 
A native of Huffman, Texas, Kershaw earned his bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College in 2004 and his master's degree in leadership from Augsburg in 2013. He also spent time as an assistant coach at both of those schools.