FIRST SEASON: 2011-12
The dean of the University of New Orleans men’s basketball assistant coaches, Kris Arkenberg begins his 10th season with the Privateers and fifth as the program’s recruiting coordinator in 2020-21. Arkenberg has played a key role in the renaissance of New Orleans basketball.
In his current role, which has evolved since arriving on the Lakefront with head coach Mark Slessinger for the 2011-12 campaign, Arkenberg will coach the team’s guards, coordinate team travel, serve as an opponent scout and as the team’s academic liaison. Since being tabbed recruiting coordinator midway through the 2015-16 season, Arkenberg assumed the additional responsibilities of identifying potential student-athletes, evaluating players and coordinating official visits. He was responsible for strength and conditioning and video coordination during previous seasons.
During his time at UNO, Arkenberg has helped develop the Privateers' guard play with continued success. During his first season in New Orleans, Arkenberg helped Brandon Knight become one of the nation's leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio and post the then-sixth most assists in school history with 150 dimes. A year later, Rarlensee Nelson tallied the second most assists (172 – six shy of the UNO record) and assists per game (6.62) in program history.
In 2016-17, New Orleans went dancing for the first time in 21 seasons. The Privateers followed with a trip to the CBI in 2018 and CIT in 2019.
Between 2014-16, guard Christavious Gill earned All-Southland Conference honors – claiming honorable-mention recognition in 2014-15 and third-team distinction in 2015-16. – and the rising senior backcourt unit of Gill, Tevin Broyles and Nate Frye have combined to average 26.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.4 steals per game over the last three years. In 2016-17, Erik Thomas was named Southland Conference Player of the Year and Gill was selected honorable mention.
In 2019-20, Bryson Robinson set a program record in three-pointers (single season; 187) en route to an All-Southland recognition.
In 2018-19, the Privateers won 19 games and featured two All-Southland honorees – Gerrale Gates and Ezekiel Charles. Charles was named to the third team and Gates became the third Privateer to win Freshman of the Year. He joined Tory Walker (1998) and Bo McCalebb (2004). Freshmen Jahmel Myers and Amari Haynes played crucial roles on the interior for the Privateers. Robinson tied James Parlow for the most three-pointers in a game (nine at Central Arkansas).
In 2017-18, Arkenberg worked with a relatively new backcourt with freshmen Troy Green, Lamont Berzat, Damion Rosser, Charles Bohannon, transfers Ezekiel Charles and Diontae Champion and returnees Robinson, Matthew Jiles and Jorge Rosa. Robinson improved his scoring and was second on the team, averaging 9.5 points per game and Charles followed with 7.5 points. The duo combined for 101 threes in 2017-18. Green averaged 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, Champion followed with 5.1 points, Rosser chipped in 4.5 and Berzat appeared in 31 games, moving into a starting role late in the season.
Statistically in 2016-17 New Orleans led the Southland Conference in assists per game (15.7), field goal percentage (.473), three-point field goal percentage defense (.316) and ranked third in scoring margin (+3.6).
While Arkenberg played a significant role in recruiting prior to being named coordinator in 2016-17, his impact in the effort has been significant with the splash of transfers and freshmen that joined the Privateers. Charles averaged 7.5 points and shot over 40.0 percent from three-point range. Among recruits that joined UNO were Makur Puou, a 2016 NJCAA All-American and Rosa, 2014-15 College Court Report Mid-Major Freshman of the Year.
Prior to joining the New Orleans staff, Arkenberg served as an assistant coach at Panola College in 2010-11 and at Lincoln Trail in 2009-10. During those two seasons, Arkenberg helped his teams post a combined 28 wins and 15 of the student-athletes he coached went on to play at four-year schools – including former Privateer Isaac Mack.
Arkenberg got his start coaching at the college level as an undergraduate at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) during the 2008-09 season when the Jaguars posted a 16-14 overall record, a 9-9 mark in Summit League action and advanced to the conference tournament quarterfinals. During his time at IUPUI, he assisted in the day-to-day operations, helped recruit a scout team of the school’s general student body, and assisted coaching the team’s backcourt.
Following a stellar prep career on both the gridiron and the hardwood, Arkenberg originally enrolled at Franklin College where he played one season of football before transferring to IUPUI.
A native of Trafalgar, Indiana, Akrenberg completed his bachelor’s degree in general studies from IUPUI in 2009. He is married to the former Davlenn Deloney of Gilmer, Texas. The couple are proud parents of daughters Krislenn and Karter, and reside in New Orleans East.
