Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Completing his second season with University of Michigan basketball, Luke Yaklich brings the Wolverine program over 20 years of experience on the sidelines.
In his first season with Michigan, Yaklich was instrumental in transforming U-M's defensive approach as the Wolverines led the Big Ten in scoring defense for first time since 1964 and closed eighth nationally in scoring defense (63.3 points per game allowed). Overall, U-M was third in Defensive Efficiency by the KenPom ratings (90.5). The following season, Yaklich's influence helped the Wolverines close second nationally in scoring defense (57.7 points per game allowed) and second in KenPom's ratings (86.2) and once again finish atop the Big Ten.
With a strong defense mindset, U-M went on to post a program record 33 wins and nearly win the national championship in 2018. After repeating as Big Ten Tournament champions winning four games in four days for a second straight year, the Wolverines advanced to the Final Four for the second time in six years. After defeating Cinderella Loyola-Chicago in the semifinal, U-M fell to Villanova in the national title game.
In 2019, the Wolverines reached the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament for a third straight year as they set the conference record with 10 straight tournament wins. Despite falling in the final, the Maize and Blue advanced to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third straight year.
Prior to joining U-M, Yaklich made the transition from high school to college coaching in 2013-14 getting hired at his alma mater Illinois State as an assistant under head coach Dan Muller. Yaklich and Muller first teamed up as students at ISU, beginning in 1996. Yaklich served as the men's basketball manager/student assistant from 1996-98 while Muller played his final two seasons. Yaklich did his part in helping ISU to two regular-season and Missouri Valley Tournament titles, including trips to the NCAA Tournament in 1997 and 1998.
Before the start of the 2016-17 season, Yaklich was promoted to associate head coach ahead of the campaign. With the new position, he helped the Redbirds to a share of the Missouri Valley regular-season title as ISU set program records for overall victories (28), regular-season wins (25) and conference triumphs (17). In his four years with the Redbirds, Yaklich helped guide Illinois State to an 86-50 record and three postseason berths -- the 2015 and 2017 National Invitation Tournament and 2014 College Basketball Invitational.
In addition to his coaching duties with the Redbirds, Yaklich was in charge of ISU men's basketball academics along with assisting in recruiting, scouting and working on skill development. In the fall of 2014, ISU established a team grade-point average record with a 2.99 GPA, breaking the previous mark by 0.13 points. In 2016, Justin McCloud earned a spot on the MVC Scholar-Athlete second team.
Prior to joining Illinois State, Yaklich worked as a high school head coach and teacher for 14 years, primarily teaching U.S. History at the high school level. Yaklich was the head boys' basketball coach at Joliet Township High School in Joliet, Illinois, for six seasons (three in the combined Joliet Township program and three at Joliet West), was well as coach for the Joliet Pride and Illinois Wolves AAU teams.
In his final season with Joliet West in 2013, he guided the Tigers to the IHSA Class 4A Lockport Regional title with a 19-8 record, ending in the season advancing to the sectional semifinals. He also led the 2009-10 Joliet Township team to a 24-8 mark and the Homewood-Flossmoor Sectional Championship. For his efforts, Yaklich was named 2010 District 9 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Coach of the Year. Overall he finished with a 104-62 (.635) record at Joliet.
Before that his stint with Joliet, Yaklich served was the head boys' basketball coach at La Salle-Peru Township High School from 2003-07, at the Sterling High School head boys' basketball coach from 2000-03 and the head girls' basketball coach at La Salle-Peru from 1999-2000.
A La Salle, Illinois native and 1994 graduate of La Salle-Peru High School, Yaklich played his high school basketball for the Cavaliers. He graduated from Illinois State in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in with endorsements for American and World History, Sociology, Political Science, Geography.
He would later earn two master's degrees from Olivet Nazarene. In 2004, he earned his Master of Education and followed in 2009 with a Master of Education Administration. In 2012, he became National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) for social studies.
He and his wife, Amy, have three children: Olivia, Griffin and Taylor.
The Luke Yaklich File
Born: May 8, 1976
Hometown: La Salle, Illinois
High School: La Salle-Peru High School, 1994
College: Illinois State, 1998 (BS, American and World History, Sociology, Political Science, Geography)
Masters: Olivet Nazarene (Master of Education, 2004 & Master of Education Administration, 2009)
Wife: Amy
Children: Olivia, Griffin and Taylor
Pronunciation: last name: "YOCK-litch"
Coaching Career
| Years | School | Position |
| 1999-2000 | La Salle-Peru High School | Head Girls' Coach |
| 2000-02 | Sterling High School | Head Boys' Coach |
| 2003-07 | La Salle-Peru High School  | Head Boys' Coach |
| 2008-13 | Joliet West High School | Head Boys' Coach |
| 2013-16 | Illinois State University | Assistant Coach |
| 2016-17 | Illinois State University | Associate Head Coach |
| 2017-present  | University of Michigan | Assistant Coach |
Coaching Career Breakdown
| Year | School | Record | Conf. | Finish | Postseason |
| 1999-2000Â Â | La Salle-Peru HS | 16-11 | - | - | - |
| 2000-01 | Sterling HS | 8-19 | - | - | - |
| 2001-02 | Sterling HS | 13-14 | - | - | - |
| 2002-03 | Sterling HS | 15-13 | - | - | - |
| 2003-04 | La Salle-Peru HS | 8-18 | - | - | - |
| 2004-05 | La Salle-Peru HS | 14-14 | - | - | - |
| 2005-06 | La Salle-Peru HS | 18-12 | - | - | - |
| 2006-07 | La Salle-Peru HS | 18-10 | - | - | - |
| 2007-08 | Joilet Township HS | 16-12 | - | - | - |
| 2008-09 | Joilet Township HS | 19-8 | - | - | - |
| 2009-10 | Joilet Township HS | 24-8 | - | - | - |
| 2010-11 | Joilet Township HS | 9-16 | - | - | - |
| 2011-12 | Joilet Township HS | 17-10 | - | - | - |
| 2012-13 | Joilet Township HSÂ Â | 19-8 | - | - | - |
| 2013-14 | Illinois State | 18-16 | 9-9 | t-4th | MVC Quarterfinal; CBI Semifinal |
| 2014-15 | Illinois State | 22-13 | 11-7 | t-3rd | MVC Runner-up; NIT Second Round |
| 2015-16 | Illinois State | 18-14 | 12-6 | t-2nd | MVC Quarterfinal |
| 2016-17 | Illinois State | 28-7 | 17-1 | t-1st | MVC Runner-up; NIT Second Round |
| 2017-18 | Michigan | 33-8 | 13-5 | t-4th | BTT Champions; NCAA Runner-up |
| 2018-19 | Michigan | 30-7 | 15-5 | 3rd | BTT Runner-up; NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2019-20 | Michigan | ||||
| Career Totals | 363-238Â Â | 77-33Â Â |
Coaching Records
| Years | School | Overall | Conference | Seasons |
| 1999-2000 | La Salle-Peru HS | 16-11 | - | 1 |
| 2000-03 | Sterling HS | 36-46 | - | 3 |
| 2003-07 | La Salle-Peru HS | 58-54 | - | 4 |
| 2007-13 | Joilet West HS | 104-62 | - | 6 |
| 2013-17 | Illinois State | 86-50 | 49-23 | 4 |
| 2017-present  | Michigan | 63-15 | 28-10 | 2 |
| Career Totals | 363-238Â Â | 77-33 | 20 | |
| College Totals | 149-65 | 77-33 | 6 | |
| High School Totals  | 214-173 | 14 |
