Peter Funk named Assistant Coach/Chief of Staff for UE Men’s Basketball

Funk joins the Purple Aces from Valparaiso

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Peter Funk has been named the Assistant Coach/Chief of Staff for the University of Evansville men’s basketball team in an announcement from Purple Aces head coach David Ragland.

“I am very excited to announce the addition of Peter Funk to our coaching staff.  Peter is as well rounded of a young coach as I have had the pleasure of being around,” Ragland said.  “Peter is extremely relational to everyone he encounters, especially student athletes which is huge in our program. He is also knowledgeable of the game of basketball and has a strong ability to clearly communicate instructions with players.  I have known Peter since he was a student manager while I was on staff at Valpo.  I have had the opportunity to watch him grow in this profession as a GA and most recently the Director of Basketball Operations all at Valpo.”

Funk brings a familiarity of the Missouri Valley Conference as he joins the UE staff from Valparaiso.  As the Director of Basketball Operations for the Beacons from July of 2021 until May of 2023, he performed a multitude of duties with the program.  When it came to game-planning, he oversaw the scouting, facilitation and development of opponent scouting reports.

He played a vital role in their recruiting efforts, overseeing aspects of the process for both domestic and international recruits.  Along those lines, he facilitated and organized on-campus recruiting visits and presentations.  When it came to the day-to-day operation of the Valpo program, Funk was instrumental in multiple different ways.  He was responsible for organizing team travel, overseeing player academics, putting together the daily team and staff schedules, working with student managers, serving as the liaison to compliance and more.

“Peter will assist with our offensive game plan while also serving as our chief of staff. As our chief of staff, Peter will oversee our staff’s administrative duties and assist when needed,” Ragland continued.  “With the new rule changes, men’s and women’s basketball staffs are allowed to add additional staff members to assist in on court coaching and some recruiting responsibilities.  Peter will have a heavy hand in some assistant coaching responsibilities while he oversees the administrative duties for our staff.”

Prior to his full-time work at Valparaiso, Funk was a graduate assistant from 2019 through 2021.  One of the highlights of his time as a GA was being named to TopConnect Graduate Assistant Leadership Academy.  Funk worked heavily in player development while gaining experience in areas that he would later to on a full-time bases as the Director of Basketball Operations.

In 2019, Funk received his undergraduate degree from Valpo, earning summa cum laude distinction.  He received his Master’s in Sports Administration from the institution in 2021, graduating with Highest Distinction and a perfect 4.0 GPA.