Latest news with #Holmoe
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
BYU sends strong message with new athletic director hire
A new chapter is unfolding at BYU as Brian Santiago officially takes over as the university's athletic director, succeeding Tom Holmoe. Santiago has served in BYU's athletic department since 1997, with eight years as Holmoe's deputy AD. He was introduced at a press conference Wednesday following the announcement. His appointment marks a significant transition. However, Santiago has been a central figure in the department's leadership for decades. Advertisement While addressing the media, Santiago emphasized his deep passion for BYU and the future in Provo. 'There's never been a better time to be a part of BYU athletics and this university than right now,' he said. Santiago also reaffirmed the department's alignment with the values of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, adding that he will lead with confidence and integrity. Santiago expressed gratitude for Holmoe, calling him a mentor and 'one of the best human beings and athletic directors in the business.' Many would agree with that statement. Santiago steps in at a time of remarkable momentum for BYU Athletics. Two years into the Big 12 Conference, BYU has celebrated national championships in both men's and women's cross country, while men's basketball and football both ended their seasons ranked No. 13 in the AP Poll. BYU also ranks in the top-10 nationally in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings, reflecting excellence across all sports. Related: BYU's Egor Demin shows true colors at NBA Combine A former collegiate basketball player himself, Santiago brings a competitive spirit and a deep understanding of student-athlete needs. He earned degrees from Utah Valley and Fresno State, and later an MBA from BYU. He played basketball at both colleges and was part of Puerto Rico's pre-selection Olympic team. Advertisement Related: BYU beats out other Power Four schools for defensive back transfer Santiago made it clear that his vision is centered on supporting the overall brand. 'All I've ever wanted to do is help you fly,' he told his athletes and coaches. With over 100 years of athletic tradition to build on, Santiago's leadership will be a commitment to winning the right way.
Fox Sports
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
BYU brings an NBA coach and a pro look to college and March Madness
Associated Press DENVER (AP) — With every player who's signed, every name, image, likeness deal that's cut, every athlete, or coach, who moves from Team A to Team B without even saying goodbye, college basketball takes one more step toward something that feels an awful lot like the pros. Instead of fighting that trend, BYU took the logical step: It hired a coach straight out of the NBA. Kevin Young's move from the association to the NCAA is paying dividends right away for the Cougars — with a high upside down the road, too. After beating VCU for the program's first March Madness win since 2012, sixth-seeded BYU can make its first Sweet 16 since the year before that, when Jimmer Fredette was jacking up jumpers, with a win over No. 3 seed Wisconsin on Saturday. And win or lose against the Badgers, next season they'll be joined by AJ Dybantsa, the nation's top recruit who made a splash this season when he signed an NIL deal with BYU worth between $5 million and $7 million, according to some reports. All part of the plan formulated by the 43-year-old Young, who received his share of raised eyebrows last spring when he took the job and boldly announced he'd be building an NBA-style program and had every intention of bringing in NBA-caliber talent to fortify it. The last player drafted out of BYU was Fredette, back in 2011. 'I don't know that going out to hire an NBA coach was our primary function," said BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, who had interviewed Young the previous time the Cougars were looking for a coach. 'The No. 1 thing we were looking for was a great coach who had basketball acumen. But at the time, what he had to offer was unique.' Everything feels more like the NBA at BYU With Young at the helm, BYU plays fast, with an emphasis on 3-point shots, where BYU ranks 23rd in the nation in attempts, or easy buckets in the paint, which has helped it move to 10th in the KenPom offensive efficiency rankings. The Cougars study a lot of film. Holmoe says they've doubled down on nutrition and added a professional air to their fitness and weightlifting routine. Counting graduate assistants, the coaching staff numbers 20 (compared to 11 on two-time defending champion UConn's staff), a handful of them with experience in the pros themselves. It's a dynamic Holmoe said created 'a structure that's different, and that we kind of had to adapt to.' To recruit to that NBA mindset, Young landed Egor Demin out of Moscow, a 6-foot-9 swingman who can shoot, handle and pass, and also could be a one-and-doner. Next year, Dybantsa is coming, bringing with him not only his game but the inherent message that BYU is a place for players with visions of hitting it big in March, then maybe in the NBA. 'We've been able to kind of put this in place and merge this NBA style with college basketball,' said Doug Stewart, an assistant with Young at the Delaware 87ers of the G-League who came to BYU to be his chief of staff. 'I think that's been an attractive piece for people to grab a hold of.' Young sought new challenge by leaving the pros The question still lingers as to why Young, who left a $2 million-a-year job as associate coach with the Suns, whose entire career has been built around the pros and who was all but destined to land a head-coaching job in the NBA, would trade that in for the college game. There are legions of coaches who make it big in college and try to take their act to the NBA. Far fewer do what Young did. Part of it was about his faith — Young is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Another part, as a story in the Deseret News explains, had to do with a long text Young received from his wife, Melissa, who zeroed in on the importance of spending more time with family. 'That text was a pretty spiritual experience for me,' Young told the newspaper. In his interview with media Friday, Young also said he saw a challenge in breaking away from the 100-game-a-year grind of the NBA and moving into a new realm. 'Once I started really, really to think about it, I kind of relished the thought of being able to take a program that's been really good for pretty much its entire existence and try to move the needle to places it's never been to,' he said. In Wisconsin, BYU will see a bit of itself It's happening. Holmoe concedes it's happening more quickly than even he expected. 'We thought it might take more time to warm up and really get this thing going,' he said. Next comes the matchup with the Badgers, who also average more than 28 3-point attempts per game and are ranked 13th in the KenPom offensive efficiency. 'It'll probably be 50-48,' Wisconsin coach Greg Gard joked before outlining the similarities between the teams. As is always the case in March Madness, Young & Co. are faced with a quick turnaround to deliver a scouting report to the team. As a coach with 17 years of experience in the pros, seven of them in the NBA, Young is used to turning around the information quickly. 'There's tons of reference points," he said. "I always think, 'We tried this against Jayson Tatum, we tried this against Luka (Doncic),' whatever the case may be. There are certain things that are different, obviously, but for me, that gives me a lot of comfort. I think it gives our players comfort.' ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. recommended
Associated Press
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
BYU brings an NBA coach and a pro look to college and March Madness
DENVER (AP) — With every player who's signed, every name, image, likeness deal that's cut, every athlete, or coach, who moves from Team A to Team B without even saying goodbye, college basketball takes one more step toward something that feels an awful lot like the pros. Instead of fighting that trend, BYU took the logical step: It hired a coach straight out of the NBA. Kevin Young's move from the association to the NCAA is paying dividends right away for the Cougars — with a high upside down the road, too. After beating VCU for the program's first March Madness win since 2012, sixth-seeded BYU can make its first Sweet 16 since the year before that, when Jimmer Fredette was jacking up jumpers, with a win over No. 3 seed Wisconsin on Saturday. And win or lose against the Badgers, next season they'll be joined by AJ Dybantsa, the nation's top recruit who made a splash this season when he signed an NIL deal with BYU worth between $5 million and $7 million, according to some reports. All part of the plan formulated by the 43-year-old Young, who received his share of raised eyebrows last spring when he took the job and boldly announced he'd be building an NBA-style program and had every intention of bringing in NBA-caliber talent to fortify it. The last player drafted out of BYU was Fredette, back in 2011. 'I don't know that going out to hire an NBA coach was our primary function,' said BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, who had interviewed Young the previous time the Cougars were looking for a coach. 'The No. 1 thing we were looking for was a great coach who had basketball acumen. But at the time, what he had to offer was unique.' Everything feels more like the NBA at BYU With Young at the helm, BYU plays fast, with an emphasis on 3-point shots, where BYU ranks 23rd in the nation in attempts, or easy buckets in the paint, which has helped it move to 10th in the KenPom offensive efficiency rankings. The Cougars study a lot of film. Holmoe says they've doubled down on nutrition and added a professional air to their fitness and weightlifting routine. Counting graduate assistants, the coaching staff numbers 20 (compared to 11 on two-time defending champion UConn's staff), a handful of them with experience in the pros themselves. It's a dynamic Holmoe said created 'a structure that's different, and that we kind of had to adapt to.' To recruit to that NBA mindset, Young landed Egor Demin out of Moscow, a 6-foot-9 swingman who can shoot, handle and pass, and also could be a one-and-doner. Next year, Dybantsa is coming, bringing with him not only his game but the inherent message that BYU is a place for players with visions of hitting it big in March, then maybe in the NBA. 'We've been able to kind of put this in place and merge this NBA style with college basketball,' said Doug Stewart, an assistant with Young at the Delaware 87ers of the G-League who came to BYU to be his chief of staff. 'I think that's been an attractive piece for people to grab a hold of.' Young sought new challenge by leaving the pros The question still lingers as to why Young, who left a $2 million-a-year job as associate coach with the Suns, whose entire career has been built around the pros and who was all but destined to land a head-coaching job in the NBA, would trade that in for the college game. There are legions of coaches who make it big in college and try to take their act to the NBA. Far fewer do what Young did. Part of it was about his faith — Young is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Another part, as a story in the Deseret News explains, had to do with a long text Young received from his wife, Melissa, who zeroed in on the importance of spending more time with family. 'That text was a pretty spiritual experience for me,' Young told the newspaper. In his interview with media Friday, Young also said he saw a challenge in breaking away from the 100-game-a-year grind of the NBA and moving into a new realm. 'Once I started really, really to think about it, I kind of relished the thought of being able to take a program that's been really good for pretty much its entire existence and try to move the needle to places it's never been to,' he said. In Wisconsin, BYU will see a bit of itself It's happening. Holmoe concedes it's happening more quickly than even he expected. 'We thought it might take more time to warm up and really get this thing going,' he said. Next comes the matchup with the Badgers, who also average more than 28 3-point attempts per game and are ranked 13th in the KenPom offensive efficiency. 'It'll probably be 50-48,' Wisconsin coach Greg Gard joked before outlining the similarities between the teams. As is always the case in March Madness, Young & Co. are faced with a quick turnaround to deliver a scouting report to the team. As a coach with 17 years of experience in the pros, seven of them in the NBA, Young is used to turning around the information quickly. 'There's tons of reference points,' he said. 'I always think, 'We tried this against Jayson Tatum, we tried this against Luka (Doncic),' whatever the case may be. There are certain things that are different, obviously, but for me, that gives me a lot of comfort. I think it gives our players comfort.'
Associated Press
12-02-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe retiring at end of this sports season after 20 years
PROVO, Utah (AP) — BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe is retiring at the end of the 2024-25 sports season after more than 20 years at the school. Holmoe helped BYU join the Big 12 Conference in 2023 following a decade as an FBS independent. He also made several key hires that helped elevate the Cougars in multiple sports, bringing aboard Bronco Mendenhall and then Kalani Sitake in football, along with Dave Rose, Mark Pope, and Kevin Young in men's basketball. Holmoe was hired as the school's athletic director in March 2005, after joining BYU in 2002 as an associate athletic director for development. During Holmoe's tenure, BYU has captured four NCAA championships and 133 conference regular-season and postseason championships across 21 sports. More than 350 student-athletes have earned All-America recognition during that time. Since 2005, BYU has had an average annual ranking of 36th in the NACDA Learfield Directors' Cup that ranks all athletic programs in NCAA Division I. Holmoe was named the NACDA Athletic Director of the year in the 2020-21 season and earned the National Football Foundation's John L. Toner Award in 2023. Before becoming an athletic director, Holmoe coached California in football from 1997-2001 and had a career record of 16-39 (.291). He also had stints as an assistant coach at California, Stanford, BYU, and the San Francisco 49ers. Holmoe played football for BYU under LaVell Edwards from 1978-1982. He earned first-team All-WAC honors as a senior in 1982. He was selected by the 49ers in the fourth round of the 1983 draft and spent all seven of his NFL seasons in San Francisco. Holmoe played on three Super Bowl-winning teams with the 49ers in 1984, 1988, and 1989 before retiring from pro football. ___
