Justin Tucek enters his fifth season on the men’s basketball staff at Emporia State University. Tucek has progressed from student assistant to assistant at ESU while spending a year as a graduate assistant in 2020-21 at NCAA Division I member Northwestern State University (LA).
 
The 2022-23 season featured a 23-win season, which is the highest in the 32-year NCAA Division II era of Emporia State Men’s Basketball. The Hornets also earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. Emporia State knocked off #17 Northern State 72-51 in Maryville, MO. The Hornet defense held Northern State 28 points under their season average. This performance marked the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. The Hornets earned back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in over 30 years.

The 2021-22 season set the tone for future Hornet success. Led by Second-Team All-American Tray Buchanan, the Hornets recorded 20 wins for the first time since 2007 and recorded the most program conference wins (15) in school history. ESU received votes in the national poll for the second consecutive season. Prior to the 2020-21 season, he was named “50 Most Impactful Assistant Coaches in NCAA Division II” by Silver Waves Media. 

Prior to his time at Emporia State, Tucek spent one season at Rock Valley College (IL) as a student assistant coach. Known for his charisma and energy, Tucek also specializes in player development working with both perimeter players and posts.

Tucek, a Madison, South Dakota native, holds both a Bachelors degree (2020) and Masters degree (2022) from Emporia State University.