Joe Puch
Joe Puch
Title: Assistant Coach
Phone: 740-826-8322
Email: jpuch@muskingum.edu

Joe Puch serves as an assistant coach for the men's basketball program and head men’s and women's golf coach.

During his tenure on the Muskie basketball staff, Puch helped coach freshman Jarrell Marsh, freshman Marcus Dempsey and junior Joshua Keyes to All-Ohio Athletic Conference Honorable Mention accolades. Marsh and Dempsey were named OAC Freshman of the Year and Keyes set the school record for career blocks.

Puch arrived at Muskingum after two successful years as a graduate assistant men’s basketball coach at Heidelberg University. Throughout his time at Heidelberg, Puch coached and developed Second Team All-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree Deonte Holder, as well as, OAC Co-Freshman of the Year Kiere Bennie. Furthermore, Puch’s recruiting efforts helped Heidelberg secure some of the best talent in Ohio, bringing in three All-State selections and one District Player of the Year.

Following graduation from Marietta in 2012, Puch began his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater. The Pioneers finished 20-8 on the season and won the OAC Championship. Under his coaching tutelage, the team advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Puch was a four-year standout on the Pioneer men’s basketball team. In 2011, Puch helped bring Marietta its first-ever OAC tournament title and first regular-season crown in 36 years. That season, the Pioneers advanced to the Sweet 16. Puch and his 2012 classmates finished with 66 wins, the most by a graduating class in Marietta history. He was named the team's best defensive player for four consecutive years.  

Puch, who was previously head coach of the men's golf program from 2015-17, coached the squad to two school records during his two-year stint (low round vs. par (+3), low 54-hole total).

On the golf course, Puch is an accomplished competitor claiming three straight Zanesville CC Club Championships (2018, 2019, 2020), the 2018-19 ZCC Bob Rankin Match Play Championship, and is a four-time Greater Cleveland Amateur Qualifier. Moreover, Puch won the 2019 CDGA Tournament of Champions at Columbus CC finishing with a 70 (-2).      

Puch received his Master of Education degree from Heidelberg in May 2015.