Ohio Northern University’s men’s basketball program will be passing the torch to a new leader. To build upon the momentum established under coach Neal Young, ONU assistant coach Jon Tropf has been named the Polar Bears’ new head coach.
Young announced he will be leaving the program and basketball to pursue a new career.
“ONU will always hold a special place in my heart," Young said. “After much prayer and reflection, I’ve made the decision to step away from my role as head basketball coach. This was not an easy choice, but one rooted in the desire to prioritize family. I’m excited to return to Indiana and begin a new chapter as a financial advisor with Edward Jones.”
In his three years at ONU, Young reinvigorated the program. He led the Polar Bears to consecutive winning campaigns in 2023-24 and 2024-2025. Prior to that, the team hadn’t had a winning season since 2018.
ONU President Melissa Baumann, Ph.D., and Director of Athletics Tom Simmons expressed their appreciation for Young and excitement about the team’s direction under Tropf.
“Coach Young has elevated our men’s basketball program, on and off the court. We wish him and his family all the best as they begin this new chapter,” Baumann said. “We also understood that the best candidate to be our new head coach was right here. With previous head coaching experience, and an intimate understanding of our program and culture, Jon Tropf is the perfect fit.”
According to Simmons, this is a significant transition for Ohio Northern Basketball. “We are grateful to Neal for his commitment to our students and to ONU,” he said. “At the same time, we are excited for this opportunity for Jon Tropf. We want the best for our student-athletes. This move was made with urgency to maintain continuity and stability in a program that is experiencing more success. We have lofty goals and feel Jon will help us continue our momentum.”
Tropf shared his excitement and appreciation for the opportunity.
“This is truly a dream job for me,” he said. “Northwest Ohio is home. I was raised here, and ONU embodies the blue-collar, hard-working, get-your-hands-dirty values I grew up with. Polar Bear Basketball has a proud and storied tradition built on these same principles, and our program will continue to fight to uphold that identity – on and off the court.”
Tropf added, “I am grateful to Coach Young for giving me the opportunity to join the staff at ONU. His leadership has had a profound impact on both our program and me. I’d also like to thank President Baumann and Tom Simmons for trusting me to lead ONU Basketball into the future. Their unwavering support for the culture we’ve built- one that aligns with the values of Ohio Northern - is something I deeply appreciate.”
Tropf, who just completed his third season as assistant coach at ONU, came to the University after eight seasons at Goshen College (Ind.), including five seasons as head coach from 2018 to 2022.
In Tropf's first season as Goshen's head coach, the Maple Leafs defeated three teams that received NAIA top 25 votes and a pair of national tournament teams. The 2017-18 team led the Crossroads League in scoring with 84.9 points per game, the most in program history.
His second campaign in 2018-19 included a victory over an NCAA Division II school, Central State University, and an upset of Indiana Wesleyan University, the top-ranked team in the nation.
A Van Buren, Ohio, native, Tropf started his collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at Oakland University. Over the course of his career he has coached more than a dozen players who went on to play professionally.
As a player at Van Buren High School, Tropf reached the quarterfinals of consecutive state basketball tournaments in 2007 and 2008.
Tropf graduated summa cum laude from Eastern Michigan University with a B.A. in history and received an M.A. in history at Oakland University.
He and his wife, Stef, have a son, Nico, and a daughter, Riyah.