Western New Mexico University Athletics

Jon Gilliam enters his first season as assistant coach with the Mustangs.

Gilliam comes to the Mustangs after a brief stint at Division I University of Pacific. Previously, Gilliam was an assistant coach under Coach Josh Newman at UT Permian Basin for three seasons.

Despite playing one of the most difficult schedules in the country, Gilliam and the Falcons pulled off two major upsets, knocking off the No. 11 team in the nation in back-to-back games winning at St. Edward's, before upsetting Dallas Baptist 99-97 in overtime in their very next game.  Gilliam helped the development two players who went on to earn All-Lone Star Conference Second Team honors after the season.

Gilliam assisted with one of the best offenses in the Lone Star Conference in 2019-20, as the UTPB finished second in the LSC in scoring, field goal percentage, and free throw shooting. The Falcons reached the LSC playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

Gilliam, a native of Paris, Missouri, had a very successful tenure as an Assistant Basketball Coach to Kim Anderson at Pittsburg State University. In his first season on staff (2017-18) Gilliam helped the Lions to a 17-13, a 12-win improvement from the previous season, which was the fifth best improvement at all levels in college basketball. 

During Gilliam’s second season with the Gorillas he helped them get off to a 13-3 start, the program's best start in the previous 10 years. Along with these accomplishments, Gilliam recruited and mentored three all conference players, one being named to the Bevo Francis top-100 award watch list. Five players over the last two years that he has recruited and mentored have signed professional contracts overseas. 

Previously to his stint with the Gorillas, Gilliam was a video coordinator for one season (2016-17) at NCAA Division I, University of Missouri.
As a video coordinator, Gilliam would help with all of the day-to-day aspects of the program including travel, recruiting mail outs, practice set up, oversight of student managers with the main job of video services which included scouting breakdown, filming of practice and post-game editing. Prior to his year as a video coordinator, Gilliam, served as a graduate assistant for the program. 

As a player, Gilliam played two years of junior college basketball at Moberly Area Community College before signing at the University of Central Missouri. Gilliam was a member of two MIAA conference regular season championships, MIAA tournament championship, region championship and the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship. During the 2014 title run, Gilliam, started every game for the Mules.

Gilliam graduated from Central Missouri with his bachelor’s degree in 2014 and completed his masters from The University of Missouri in 2016.