Dunlap hires state champion coach to take over boys basketball program
Ryan Julius is no stranger to winning state championships.
He was on the bench as an assistant this past March when the Peoria Notre Dame girls basketball team captured the Class 2A state title. Julius was also the PND head boys golf coach in 2019 when the team won the Class 2A state championship.
Now, he brings that winning pedigree to Dunlap, being named the new head boys basketball coach at Thursday's school board meeting. Julius, who becomes Dunlap's fifth new coach since 2015, takes over for Patrick Pokorny, who stepped down after three seasons and a 43-49 (.467) overall record and 17-25 mark in Mid-Illini Conference play.
“This opportunity kind of presented itself,” Julius, 39, said, “and I felt like I was kind of in a sweet spot, per say, of my coaching career, which I never got into coaching to have a career. I just got into it to give back to the community and the kids.”
The former Bradley University golfer got into coaching thanks to one of his best friends, current Peoria High coach Daniel Ruffin. Julius was a volunteer on staff, staying with the Lions for five years before taking a year off.
When he was hired to take over the PND boys golf program, Julius looked to join the Irish boys basketball staff. However, there were no openings at the time, so he spoke with girls head coach Layne Langholf.
The pair hit it off, chatting for nearly 90 minutes with Julius ultimately becoming his JV coach. He gives a lot of praise to Langholf for helping him "blossom as a coach", crediting him for allowing Julius to accept his insight and input.
“I’m just the type of the person that if I’m going to do something,” Julius said, “I’m going to get it a 100 percent, so I went all in there.”
But before the 2019-2020 girls season began, the poker professional coached the 2019 Irish squad to the team’s first-ever state title, winning by seven strokes over Quincy Notre Dame.
“That was a storybook year to say the least,” said Julius, who was the 2021 Peoria Men’s City runner-up. “… We still stay in touch today. That’s what coaching is all about.”
Fast forward to March where the PND girls made a historic run to the program’s first state title led by player of the year Mya Wardle. During the last four seasons, the Irish have gone 97-15 with Julius heading the scouting, game planning and player development.
PND’s "closeknit, family-like environment" with the students, parents and support will definitely be missed, according to Julius.
“I can’t believe I was there for five years,” he said. “It’s flown by. I’m just overwhelmed with emotion – good and bad. You never want to leave a place you give your heart to.”
It was a tough goodbye for Julius to his former PND players.
“If it’s not for them,” Julius said of what he told the team, “and all the hard work and great performances that they displayed, I would never get this opportunity.
“They’re as much a part of this as I am.”
Now, Julius takes over an Eagles team that finished 12-16 overall and 5-9 in M-I play this past season, losing in a Class 3A regional semifinal. Austin Walker, an all-Mid-Illini second team pick, would be a senior this upcoming season.
Dunlap is also looking to win its first regional championship since 2014.
“… It just seems like a perfect a time to take a chance,” Julius said, “and give it my all and try to assemble an elite coaching staff that I can trust, and the players can trust and we can build a positive, hardworking, fun environment that these kids can thrive in.
“That’s the goal and I think you got to take it one day at a time.”
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA basketball: New Dunlap boys basketball coach named
