CHICAGO, IL., -- Following a 16-11 campaign and an 8-8 mark in the CCIW, North Park Men's Basketball enter the 2026-27 season with a blend of continuity and fresh faces with a new coach and new players, yet the Vikings still are looking to make some noise this year. Vikings head coach Robbie Harman was announced as the 12th head coach in program history in August after a successful coaching career at the NCAA Division II level. While implementing a new system can often mean a period of adjustment, Harman's first months on campus have been about putting player development and building a championship culture at the forefront.
"My main priority has been developing and building personal relationships with the players," Harman said. "My expectations for how we practice and carry ourselves are very high, so holding guys to a standard they may not be used to takes some time, but it's only possible when you have a great relationship with them off the court. I believe that's going to be the foundation of our program and who we are".
With an experienced roster returning from last season, the Vikings have spent the fall building continuity while adapting to a new voice on the sidelines. Now senior guard Mike Vuckovic is coming off a season where he was named to the All-CCIW 1st team after a career year. Vuckovic averaged 19.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game last season, shooting nearly 43% from behind the arc. Balancing the success of last year's team with his own philosophy is something any new coach has to handle -- when asked about it, Harman said,
"What they accomplished last year was great, but in order to take the next step as a program, we need to fix the areas where we struggled and continue getting better at the things we already do well".
He went on to talk about how well the players have done during preseason workouts and installs. With practices just starting a few weeks ago, Harman praised this group for how much they have been willing to learn, saying "they want to be good and really dial into the details of what we're trying to teach. It's refreshing to have a whole group willing to be on the same page. Coach Harman is inheriting a team that has been a top defensive team in the CCIW the last few years, which bodes well for the style of play he likes to play. Throughout his career, Harman's teams have been known for their ability to defend. At his prior stint as the head coach of Northwestern Oklahoma State University, the team had their conference's top overall defense while ranking second in overall offense as well. As an assistant and defensive coordinator at Davenport University, their team led the conference in steals and turnovers forced.
"The biggest focus for us has been on the defensive end," Harman stated. "We want our half-court defense to be solid and near the top of the league. That way, on nights when offense may be struggling, especially on the road, we can lean on our defense not only to get stops, but to trigger our offense in transition".
North Park opens the year with an exhibition match up against Division I opponent Central Michigan before beginning the regular season on November 6th against Lake Forest College. Play within the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin won't start until early December, once again featuring a tough slough of teams like Illinois Wesleyan, Carthage, Elmhurst and Wheaton. However, Harman stressed that success will be measured by more than just wins and losses.
"I've told our team this nearly every day... I can live with most results, but after every game I want people watching to praise how hard we play and the effort we give in all aspects o the game". Harman continued by saying, "I want other teams to dread playing us because of our relentless effort on defense. If we can earn that identity, I believe we can compete every night in the CCIW".
North Park's tip off with Central Michigan Tuesday is set for 7:30pm ET.
