Jim Aller
Jim Aller
  • Title:
    Asst. Athletic Director / Head Men's Basketball Coach
  • Phone:
    (617) 745-3637
  • Email:
    james.aller@enc.edu

Bio

Veteran coach Jim Aller is entering his sixth season at the helm of the men’s basketball program in 2014-15. In addition to his coaching duties, Aller serves as assistant athletic director. Aller is passionate about developing his players into well-rounded young men, and seeks to provide them with life skills that they can take with them after graduation.

“I am dedicated to leading teams to maximize their potential as athletes and people by inspiring the highest level of player commitment and performance,” Aller said. "I want the players that graduate to be prepared to be servant-leaders as they begin their professional careers. I am committed to developing people, both academically and spiritually; I believe that basketball can be used as a great tool aid in this process”.

Aller guided the Lions to one of the program's best seasons in 2013-14. Eastern Nazarene finished with a 19-6 overall record and a 13-5 league mark. The Lions claimed the No. 2 seed in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament after finishing second in the regular season standings.

Eastern Nazarene opened the season winning 10 of its first 11 games, including a 6-0 start to the campaign.Prior to the start of the 2013-14 season, the Lions took on NCAA Division II Hawaii Pacific University in an exhibition contest and dropped a 78-73 overtime-decision.

Eric Lynch and Jaylen Owens each picked up All-Commonwealth Coast Conference accolades under Aller's tutelage in 2013-14.

In 2012-13, Aller was named the Commonwealth Coast Conference Coach of the Year after guiding the Lions to the program's best season since 1996-97 as they returned to the CCC Playoffs for the first time since 2003-04. Eastern Nazarene posted an 18-9 overall record with an 11-7 mark in the league in 2012-13 and reached the semifinals of the CCC Tournament after hosting its first playoff game in 12 years.

Under Aller's tutelage, freshman Jaylen Owens was tabbed the Commonwealth Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and seniro Chima Ezeigbo earned a spot on the All-CCC first team in 2012-13.

A pair of Lions hoopsters garnered All-Commonwealth Coast Conference honors in Aller’s first three seasons. Chima Ezeigbo was a second team selection in 2011-12 and John Flakes earned a spot on the third team in 2010-11.

Aller's methods appear to work, with two-dozen NAIA and NCCAA Scholar-Athletes coming from his program. In 2009, Aller's team was honored with the NAIA National Champions of Character team award. His teams participate in the I Like To Read program, where the players visit local elementary schools and read to the students. Additionally, they have visited the Veterans Centers and have participated in Habitat for Humanity activities.

With 20 years of college coaching and teaching under his belt, 14 of those years as the head coach at Asbury College, Aller has achieved a career average of 20+ wins per season. Having taken a short break from head coaching in the 2008-2009 season to take up the assistant coach and assistant athletic director position at Indiana University-East, Aller helped rack up a 23-9 season, while the team received NAIA Top 25 votes for the first time in school history.

Aller has brought out the best in many, having produced four NAIA All-Americans, 13 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic All-Conference (KIAC) selections and the 2007 KIAC Player of the Year. In addition, Aller was recognized for his own performance, being named KIAC Coach of the Year three times (2004, 2005 & 2007), NCCAA Mideast Region Coach of the Year (2002, 2004 & 2008) and was awarded the NCCAA Coach of the Year in 2002.

A basketball player himself in his college days, Aller earned a BS in Business Administration/Economics at The Kings College in Briarcliff Manor (N.Y.) in 1989. Aller went on to play professionally, touring with the Washington Generals in 1989 and 1990 before returning to college athletics as a coach. 

Earning a Master of Education in Sports Management from Springfield College in 1992, Aller also provides instruction in ENC’s Movement Arts and Sports Management Programs.

Aller and his wife, Faith, reside near campus in Quincy, MA with their son Quinton.