Chris Kovensky is in his 12th year with the Old Dominion men’s basketball program and fifth season as an assistant coach. Prior to becoming an assistant coach, Kovensky spent the previous seven years as the program’s video coordinator.
Jeff Jones named Kovensky an assistant coach on May 10, 2019.
“Chris is a great example of starting at the bottom and working his way up,” said Jones. “His work ethic is incredible. He is extremely well-liked and respected by staff members and student-athletes alike. His ability to teach on the court will be a great addition to our program. His humble down-to-earth personality will enable him to establish strong relationships with recruits and their parents.”
The 2022-23 season saw the Monarchs rejoin the Sun Belt Conference and finished 19-12 overall and 11-7 in league play. ODU ended the regular season knocking off the top two teams heading into the final weekend, Southern Miss and Marshall, at home. The Monarchs played their share of tight contests going 6-2 in games decided by three points or less, including an Imo Essien buzzer-beating jumper at Texas State for a one-point win. Chaunce Jenkins was named to the Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference squad.
The 2021-22 season saw the Monarchs finish 13-19 with an 8-10 mark in league play. Austin Trice was named to the Second Team All-Conference USA squad, while Imo Essien, P.J. Gill, Jaylin Hunter, Jadin Johnson and D’Angelo Stines were named to the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
2020-21 marked Kovensky’s second season as an assistant for ODU, as the Monarchs compiled a 15-8 overall record and an 11-5 mark in C-USA play, which earned the Old Dominion a No. 2 seed in the Conference USA Tournament and first round bye. Malik Curry earned All-Conference USA Second Team honors, while Austin Trice was named the C-USA Sixth Player of the Year.
In his first season as an assistant coach, Kovensky helped senior Aaron Carver earn Conference USA All-Defensive Team and All-Academic Team accolades. Coach Kovensky was also part of history when Jeff Jones earned his 500th career win at Northeastern in 2019.
Coach Kovensky has served as a skills instructor to numerous highly touted players after they exhausted their collegiate eligibility, highlighted by Kent Bazemore (ODU), Trey Freeman (ODU), Dorian Finney-Smith (Florida), Frank Hassell (ODU), Cam Thomas (LSU), Matt Coleman (Texas) and Andre Jones (Winthrop).
Kovensky was the head coach of Monarch Nation in the 2018 The Basketball Tournament (TBT).
In 2011, he was a graduate manager for the Monarchs, while completing a M.S. degree in sports management from Old Dominion.
Prior to coming to ODU, Kovensky played collegiate football and basketball at Albright College, where he graduated with degrees in fine arts and business administration. A native of Hollidaysburg, Pa., Kovensky is the son of Susan Kovensky.