Latest news with #BigWestTournament
Miami Herald
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Former Pac-12 Assistant Joins HBCU Hoops Contender
Alabama A&M just made a power move. Head coach Dawn Thornton announced the addition of veteran coach Paul Reed as the program's new associate head coach. The hire brings high-major experience, a reputation for developing talent, and a Pac-12 résumé packed with postseason success to HBCU women's basketball on The Hill. Reed, whose coaching stops include Cal, Washington, and Long Beach State, steps into the Bulldogs' program with a clear mandate. To elevate the team's culture and competitiveness in the SWAC. "We are thrilled to welcome Paul Reed as our Associate Head Coach," said Thornton. "Paul brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of developing talent and building winning programs. His dedication to fostering strong relationships with players and his commitment to excellence on and off the court make him an invaluable addition to our team." This is more than a résumé hire-it's a statement of intent. A&M is aiming higher. Reed spent last season in a support role at St. Mary's. Still, his most impactful recent work came at the University of Washington. He helped steer the Huskies to a Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinal appearance. That run included a decisive 68–54 upset of No. 6-seed Colorado. At UW, Reed didn't just collect wins-he developed stars. Three Huskies earned All-Pac-12 honors under his watch, and an impressive 11 players landed spots on the Pac-12 All-Academic Team. Before Washington, Reed was part of a resurgent Long Beach State program that tallied 69 wins in three seasons, racked up three straight 20-win campaigns, and earned a Big West Tournament title in 2017 to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. The years prior brought back-to-back WNIT berths, showcasing his consistency in keeping programs competitive deep into March. Before his collegiate coaching climb, Reed dominated the Arizona high school basketball scene. At Cienega High School, he went 45–13 in two seasons and was named Southern Arizona Coach of the Year after leading the Bobcats to a regional title and state runner-up finish in 2014. Go further back, and the trail continues at Tucson High, where Reed stacked four state tournament appearances, three regional championships, and a 129–63 record across six seasons. He's been building programs from the grassroots up for decades, mentoring McDonald's All-American nominees and directing offseason player development for top high school and college athletes in the Tucson area. And while most know him for his basketball mind, Reed is also a former USA Today Small College All-American defensive back at Langston University, an HBCU in Oklahoma, where he earned his degree in psychology before adding a master's in education from the University of Phoenix. This is a high-level chess move for Alabama A&M women's basketball. Reed isn't just a sideline veteran-he's a culture shifter. He's walked the halls of Power 4 programs, coached in packed March Madness arenas, and still has the recruiting chops to bring top-tier talent into the fold. For an HBCU program looking to make noise in the SWAC and beyond, Paul Reed might be the X-factor. The post Former Pac-12 Assistant Joins HBCU Hoops Contender appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘Bows season ends in 2-1 loss to Cal Poly in Big West Tournament
After surviving three elimination games in a six-day stretch, the University of Hawai'i baseball team's inspiring postseason run came to an end on Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Cal Poly in the Big West Tournament semifinal. Needing two wins to force a championship game on Sunday, the Rainbow Warriors entered Saturday's contest with their backs against the wall once again, and struck first. Ben Zeigler-Namoa delivered an RBI double in the opening frame to give UH an early 1-0 lead. Starter Freddy Rodriguez was sharp, holding the Mustangs hitless through three innings. But Cal Poly broke through in the fourth, scoring two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Rodriguez went a season-long six innings, allowing just four hits in a solid outing. Hawai'i threatened late, putting runners on second and third with two outs in the ninth, but was unable to deliver one last moment of Mānoa magic. Cal Poly reliever Josh Morano held firm, tossing 6.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, scattering five hits with two strikeouts to secure the win. Barring an extremely unlikely at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament on Monday, the loss ends the Rainbow Warriors' season at 35-21, marking the second consecutive year Hawai'i has reached 35 or more wins, a feat not accomplished in back-to-back seasons since 1992. While the season ends short of a title, it signals progress for head coach Rich Hill and his program. Hawai'i played meaningful baseball in May, reaching the conference semifinals in a competitive Big West Tournament, a significant step forward for a resurgent team. For more coverage, stay with KHON2 Sports on-air and online. To see all of the Big West Tournament scores, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wahine water polo wins Big West championship
The University of Hawai'i women's water polo team added another trophy to its collection, capturing the Big West Tournament championship with an 8-6 victory over Long Beach State on Sunday in Irvine, California. Goalkeeper Daisy Logtens anchored the Rainbow Wahine defense, recording 14 saves on her way to earning tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Under first-year head coach James Robinson, UH claimed back-to-back Big West Tournament titles for the first time in program history and secured an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. 'I don't really know what to say, but it just feels really, really special,' Logtens said. 'We set goals for ourselves every season and we're trying to get the best out of it. We know we're capable of doing good things.' Robinson credited the team's ability to execute in critical moments. 'No one's going to give it to you,' Robinson said. 'We've had success the past couple of years, so people come for us, and we want that. It's about our ability to execute and make important stops. Our seniors, juniors, and even our younger athletes stepped up and did a great job of carrying the load this season.' The Rainbow Wahine, now 21-4, will learn their postseason path during Monday's NCAA Selection Show, set for 2 p.m. HST and streaming on The NCAA Championships are scheduled for May 9-11 in Indianapolis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
NCAA Coaching Carousel: New Mexico Hires UC San Diego Coach Eric Olen
New Mexico has hired UC San Diego head coach Eric Olen to replace Richard Pitino, who left to take the Xavier job. Olen led UC San Diego to the 2025 NCAA Tournament in its first year of eligibility and posted a 30-5 record, 18-2 in the Big West. 'We're thrilled to welcome Eric Olen as the new head coach of Lobo Men's Basketball,' said New Mexico AD Fernando Lovo in a statement. 'Eric is a proven winner with an incredible track record. Beyond the accolades and success on the court, he is a values-driven leader who puts student-athletes first. We're confident he'll bring tremendous energy and vision to our program. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Eric, his wife Lauren, and their daughters Avery and Madeline — we're excited to have them join the Lobo family here in Albuquerque.' The all-time winningest coach in UC San Diego history with a 240-119 record, Olen spent the last 21 years at the school, including the past 12 as head coach. He guided the Tritons during their transition from Division II to Division I, taking the program to new heights at both levels. 'I am honored to be the next Head Coach of New Mexico Men's Basketball,' said Olen. 'I want to thank President Stokes, Fernando Lovo, and the UNM leadership team for this opportunity. This is one of the most special programs in college basketball, and my family and I are thrilled to be a part of Lobo Nation! I can't wait to get to work and write the next great chapter in New Mexico basketball history.' Olen is coming off a historic 2024-25 season at UCSD, as the Tritons won the Big West regular season and tournament titles and made their March Madness debut in their first year of eligibility. He led the program to a 30-5 record as the Tritons were second in the nation in scoring margin at +17.5 points per game. UCSD went 18-2 in the Big West to win the regular season title before winning the Big West Tournament in their debut in the championship. Olen was honored as Big West Coach of the Year and the NABC Pacific District Coach of the Year. In 2024-25 the Tritons had a KenPom ranking of 39 and finished 31 in the final NET rankings. Both of those rankings are the highest for any team in college basketball outside of the Power-5 conferences and the WCC. In addition to ranking second in Division I in scoring margin, the Tritons under Olen ranked in the national Top-10 in assist-turnover ratio (fourth at 1.80), scoring defense (sixth at 61.8), winning percentage (seventh at .857), turnovers forced (eighth at 15.91 per game) and three-pointers made per game (ninth at 10.7 per game). From 2021-24, Olen guided UC San Diego through the Division I transition period, capping the four-year process with a 21-12 record in 2023-24 as he won his first Big West Coach of the Year honor. The Tritons went 15-5 in the Big West that season, finishing runner-up in the regular season, but weren't eligible for the conference tournament. UCSD did earn a berth in the CBI, the school's first Division I postseason appearance. Olen's first seven seasons as a head coach at UCSD came at the Division II level, as he led the Tritons to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2016 to 2020 after the school had just one prior Division II postseason appearance before that span. UCSD reached the NCAA West Region final in 2016 and 2017 and were the No. 1 seed for the 2020 NCAA West Regional before the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. In 2019-20, Olen was named the NABC West Region Coach of the Year, leading the Tritons to a 30-1 record and a No. 4 national ranking in their final season in Division II. Overall, Olen led UCSD to three California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular season titles and four consecutive CCAA tournament crowns as he was the 2017 and 2020 CCAA Coach of the Year. Prior to elevating to head coach at UC San Diego, Olen was an assistant coach at the school for nine seasons. During his tenure as an assistant, he served as the recruiting coordinator and worked with the program's post players. He was promoted to the top assistant after just one year on the staff. A native of Mobile, Ala., Olen played collegiately at Spring Hill College in his hometown. He helped the Badgers to three straight appearances to the NAIA National Tournament, including trips to the NAIA Elite Eight in 2000 and 2001. Olen graduated from Spring Hill in 2004 with a degree in Finance. Olen and his wife, Lauren, have two daughters, Avery and Madeline.
New York Times
21-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
A UC San Diego transfer watches the NCAA Tournament team he left: ‘Is the grass greener?'
DENVER — Taking a sip out of his tall Coors Light, Bryce Pope was ready to watch a game he wished he was playing in. A game that he should have been playing in. 'Hit it, hit it' he yelled as a former teammate took a shot. He continued to rattle off reactions, as if he were on the bench. 'Shoot it! Get it! Ugh. Go up!' Advertisement For four years, Pope was the heart of UC San Diego basketball. He committed to the school before the Tritons played a Division I game. He was the best player over four years transitioning up from Division II. And it all happened before they were eligible for the NCAA Tournament or even the Big West Tournament, because of NCAA rules regarding reclassification. He spent four years waiting for a night like this, waiting to play a meaningful March game. It's a March Madness story that will become more and more common in the NIL era. A story where players put in years of hard work at one school and then have to decide between the payoff or the payout. Pope chose the latter. It's a choice he doesn't regret, but it's one he still wrestles with: a lucrative NIL offer from USC, or use his extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic to remain at UCSD, a school that couldn't dream of matching the undisclosed financial package he eventually accepted? He played four years for the Tritons for this season. For the moment when it could finally count. And he watched it from 30 rows up, behind the basket. 'This is the toughest time. This is where I have the most mixed emotions,' Pope said from his seat. 'You see UC San Diego. Twelve seed in the NCAA Tournament. Playing in front of 20,000. I wish I could put on a jersey.' Instead, Pope paid for his flight to Denver, where he watched with a teammate and his brother. Drinking, cheering and enjoying himself. He defaulted to calling his former team 'we.' The FOMO never too far from the front of his mind. He took the money because he wanted to be paid what he was worth. That part was great. But he rode the bench all season, playing a total of 71 minutes and scoring just 12 points. He's often asked by people in his life if he made the wrong decision. Advertisement 'It's so hard, man. How can (mid-majors) compete,' Pope said. 'I don't know if (UCSD) could have paid me $10K. It's just so different. It's two completely different worlds. … When you're putting up huge numbers and you're winning games, part of you is like, 'Shouldn't I be getting some reimbursement?'' In a different era of college basketball, there would be no NIL money to earn. A transfer would have been required to sit out a year. And with all his success at UCSD, there would have been no incentive to leave. But in this era, the best mid-major players often build their smaller programs, only to give up the glory for the gold. And this March is filled with stories similar to Pope's. There's Frankie Fidler, who was the best player at Omaha for three years before transferring to Michigan State, where he's now a reserve. Omaha made the NCAA Tournament for the first time this year. Trazarien White starred for four years at UNC Wilmington and transferred to TCU, who missed March Madness while UNCW danced. And don't forget Jamarii Thomas, who was the MEAC player of the Year for Norfolk State last season. The Spartans are in the bracket this season, but Thomas, who transferred to South Carolina to play in the SEC, is not. 'It's not all about money,' Pope said. '(USC) had a tough year, and we're not playing in March Madness, and (UCSD) is. Some of that stuff is priceless. What (UCSD) is doing right now is bigger than money.' That's not to say Pope wishes he could take it back. He doesn't. The money was important. As was his positive experience at USC, which he said will set him up well for the rest of his life. But missing this game does create a visceral emotion. Coming out of high school, the San Diego native stayed home, eschewing offers from tournament-eligible teams in the Ivy League and Patriot League. Advertisement He finished his time at UCSD as a first-team All-Big West player last year, averaging 18.3 points per game on a team that went 15-5 in the conference. He'd keyed a turnaround for a team that went from allowing 103 points to Long Beach State and finishing 13-16 in 2022 to being one of the best mid-majors by the time he left. When he took his seat on Thursday evening, the sight was overwhelming. Here this program was, in front of a sold-out crowd in an NBA venue. They had won 15 games in a row and were 35th in the NCAA's NET rankings — and a trendy upset pick against No. 5 seed Michigan, the Big Ten tournament champion. 'I feel like I'm a part of that, even though I'm not on the team,' Pope said. 'I feel like I'm a part of what they're doing and helped build the foundation. … It's mixed emotions. Part of me is wondering now what it would be like if I was on the team.' Pope told his current coach, Eric Musselman, that he had to be there, even though USC is scheduled to play in the new College Basketball Crown tournament in early April. After arriving in Denver, Pope watched the media day news conferences. He heard head coach Eric Olen and teammates credit him. There was an open invitation to celebrate a win in the locker room, should they secure it. Pope appreciated it more than he could verbalize. It wasn't about him, and he's excited for what his former teammates accomplished. But it was also easy to feel forgotten. 'Bryce was a huge part of our program through the transition,' said Olen, who was supportive when an anxious Pope approached him about transferring. 'Bryce was really important to our program,' said point guard Tyler McGhie. 'Just the toughness and hard work that he put in. He was great for our school.' Michigan was in control for much of Thursday's game, from a 10-0 start to a 14-point halftime lead to responding to a UCSD spurt in the second half to go back up double digits. But then everything started to turn. Guard Tyler McGhie hit a game-tying 3-pointer with three minutes left, then gave the Tritons the lead on a floater the next possession. Advertisement Pope was delirious, high-fiving everyone in his immediate vicinity. All the casual fans in the arena were just as excited as him, pulling for an upset. On the next defensive possession, he spread his arms out, mimicking a defensive stance. He was envisioning himself in a moment that could have been his. Michigan, though, came back, took the lead and won. McGhie's would-be game-tying 3 rimmed out at the buzzer. Pope's head sunk, his hands on his knees. Minutes ticked by after the loss, the stands emptied out. Pope remained. His basketball career is ending. He's accepted a job doing real estate in San Diego. In many ways, his career didn't feel finished until Thursday night. Not until the team that defined his college experience had lost. Even though he wasn't on the team plane or in the locker room or film studies, he was still attached. Still invested. And still gutted by the season ending in defeat. 'My story is something you'll probably see going forward,' Pope said. 'It's kind of like, is the grass greener? Kind of buyer's remorse. That's going to be something that happens.'
