Carthage College Men's Basketball

Steve Djurickovic begins his sixth season at the helm of the men's basketball program (70-49, 5 years and a .588 career winning percentage). Djurickovic spent six years as a full-time men's basketball assistant coach and two years as a part-time assistant under his father Bosko Djurickovic. Djurickovic entered the coaching ranks after an illustrious career with Carthage between 2008 and 2011.  The 2024-25 season was a memorable one for the Firebirds as the team finished 21-7 and 14-2 in conference play winning the CCIW Regular season title, setting a program record for most conference wins in a single season. Carthage made their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2010 while Djurickovic earned his first CCIW Coach of the Year honor.  A native of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., Djurickovic was a two-time National Association of Basketball Coaches first-team All-American and a four-time "D3Hoops.com" All-American. He is the only player in "D3hoops.com" history to win both the National Rookie of the Year (2008) and National Player of the Year (2010) awards. Djurickovic was also a four-time first-team All-CCIW selection (one of only seven CCIW history) and a two-time winner of the CCIW Fred Young Most Outstanding Player Award.   Djurickovic finished his career as Carthage’s all-time leading scorer with 2,547 points (third all-time in CCIW history and 15th all-time in NCAA Division III) and 649 assists (second all-time in the CCIW). He led the CCIW in scoring and assists all four years, the only player to do so. Djurickovic also holds the NCAA career record for both free throws made (839) and attempted (997). Off the court, Djurickovic was named 2010 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/ESPN the Magazine College Division Third-Team Academic All-America® and named 2011 Capital One First-Team Academic All-America®. He was awarded the NCAA post-graduate scholarship in 2011 and was also the recipient of the prestigious Jostens Trophy, presented annually to the best basketball student-athlete in Division III. Djurickovic graduated from Carthage in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science and received his master’s degree in education, also from Carthage, in 2018. He is a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. He was inducted into the Carthage College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020, and the Kenosha Public Schools’ Hall of Fame in 2017.

Josh Washburn begins his third year on staff for the Firebirds for the 2025-26 season. A familiar face in the Kenosha area, Washburn assists with player development, game preparation, and recruiting. A 2021 Carthage graduate, Washburn averaged 15.9 points per game his senior year, 2nd best on the team, while leading the Firebirds in three-point field goals made. A native of Kenosha, Washburn starred at Indian Trail High School, averaging 18.5 points per game and led the Southeast Conference in three-pointers made. He was named First Team All-Southeast Conference and led the Hawks to a 21-5 record his junior year. Washburn graduated from Carthage with a degree in Business Management and is a member of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. 

Tyler Pierce enters his second season as Assistant Coach after helping lead the Firebirds to the 2024-25 CCIW Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. A standout at Carthage from 2010-13, Pierce appeared in over 100 games, scored 1,019 career points, won a CCIW title in 2010, and was a two-time All-CCIW selection. As the program’s lead assistant, Pierce oversees recruiting, scouting, and player development. Before returning to Carthage, he spent three seasons (2020-23) at Elmhurst University, helping guide the Bluejays to a 52-10 record and a national runner-up finish in 2021-22, the best season in program history. He also served as Boys AAU Director at M14 Hoops and as an assistant coach at Westmont High School. A native of Westmont, Illinois, Pierce earned his degree in Exercise and Sport Science from Carthage and is a member of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association.