Air Force men’s basketball is about to look different, and fans are here for it.
Joe Crispin was officially introduced to the Air Force Academy community, media and fans as the Falcons’ head men’s basketball coach at a press conference Tuesday at Falcon Stadium. A self-proclaimed “small-town boy” who grew up with an underdog mentality, Crispin is ready to bring excitement back to Clune Arena.
Air Force men’s basketball is about to look different, and fans are here for it.
Joe Crispin was officially introduced to the Air Force Academy community, media and fans as the Falcons’ head men’s basketball coach at a press conference Tuesday at Falcon Stadium. A self-proclaimed “small-town boy” who grew up with an underdog mentality, Crispin is ready to bring excitement back to Clune Arena.
“I can’t promise we’ll win every night, but I do promise you we won’t be boring.”
Joe Crispin
Head Men’s Basketball Coach
The Penn State basketball alum was named head coach March 18 in an announcement from Director of Athletics Nathan Pine. Crispin comes to the academy from Penn State, where he was an assistant head coach for three seasons.
Crispin made clear he wants to bring an aggressive style of play to Air Force’s offense, and a game that is “fast, fearless, and free.” Reflecting on his playing experience at the college and professional levels, he wants players to connect with the community.
“One of the coolest things about the game is the way it can connect and inspire people,” Crispin said. “To me, basketball isn’t about grinding out wins; it’s about getting you on your feet. It’s about getting people to say ‘wow.’
“You can connect with people in the community when they know you are playing for them. Combining that with our style of play will make us worth watching.”
Crispin’s vision for defense is similar. He is committed to pressing and believes the game shouldn’t stop.
“I think reset is a curse word in basketball,” Crispin said. “I think the game should flow; the way you play defense plays a huge part in scoring. I’m known as a scoring guy. I’d like to score 100 a night. Not always possible, but there is a way to play defense that increases tempo and interrupts the other team.”
Crispin’s vision of playing freely and aggressively resonated with several fans who attended Tuesday’s in-person conference.
“I’m excited to go to men’s basketball games again,” season-ticket holder Nancy Barber said. “I missed about half of them this year because I just couldn’t watch them anymore. We have good kids out there playing, and the fact that he is going to let them play is awesome.”
This will be Crispin’s second head coaching role after seven seasons as men’s coach at Rowan University, where he guided the Profs to three NCAA Division III appearances, including the 2023 Sweet 16.
His vision for the Falcons is to play in the NCAA Tournament.
“I don’t operate any other way,” he said. “I don’t know any other vision. It’s not the first or last time I’ve said something people think is crazy, but I want a group of individuals who think that’s possible and are willing to sacrifice for that, and I do.
“One of my goals as a coach is to get more out of guys than they think is possible. You can give young men a vision for who they can become, and they’ll surprise you.”
Crispin embraces the underdog mentality. Air Force’s last-place standing in the Mountain West, paired with roster retention challenges in the NIL era, doesn’t bother him.
When Elevate Talent, which helped in the coaching search, reached out to him, Crispin didn’t know Air Force’s 2025-2026 record (3-29). His reaction?
“This is perfect.”
“It’s a refreshing new look,” season-ticket holder Jeffrey Grunewald said. “It’s going to take time to build culture, but I like where we are at. If you look at his playing record and coaching record, he brings a good resume and a good vision.”
Crispin wants to put on a show, and it’s to be seen if the Falcons deliver. Nonetheless, there was a fresh sense of optimism about the program’s future, and Crispin seems eager to get started.
Ever since he learned the academy’s motto, “Fly, Fight, Win,” it was meant to be.
“I thought I didn’t have to create a single thing here; it’s already written,” Crispin said. “The joy and magic of basketball is when a team can embody what the community is all about, what the academy is all about. I expect to win all the time, maybe even unreasonably at times. We want to win with a certain flair, vision and passion that reflects what the Air Force Academy is all about.”
