San Diego hired well-respected Iowa State assistant JR Blount as its new head coach, the school announced Monday.
Blount replaces Steve Lavin, who was fired last month before finishing out a 12-21 season at the West Coast Conference school.
Blount, 38, has been part of four straight NCAA Tournament teams at Iowa State — the Cyclones will also be a high seed for the upcoming one — and is part of a 120-51 record in five campaigns under T.J. Otzelberger entering this week’s Big 12 tournament.
“JR is an outstanding leader, a relentless competitor and one of the brightest rising coaches in college basketball,” Toreros athletic director Kimya Massey said in a news release. “Even more importantly, throughout this process I came to know him as a humble leader with strong integrity and deep family values. JR has been a part of winning at every level of his career and understands what it takes to build a program that competes with toughness, discipline and consistency. Just as importantly, he believes in developing young men holistically and leading in a way that reflects the values of this university.
“This is a pivotal moment for our program and JR’s vision aligns with our belief that San Diego men’s basketball should compete in the upper tier of the WCC and position itself to be a regular NCAA Tournament participant. We are excited about what lies ahead under his leadership.”
The Toreros have recorded only one winning season in the past seven years. They haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2008, when they upset UConn in the first round for the program’s only March Madness victory.
Blount has an eye on changing the recent past and the WCC is about to be a reshaped league due to Gonzaga’s departure for the rebuilt Pac-12.
“I’m incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead USD men’s basketball,” Blount said in the news release. “This is more than just a coaching position for me — it’s a chance to become part of a community and build something meaningful. …
“I come to USD with a deep desire to win — to compete relentlessly, to develop our young men to their fullest potential and to build a program our fans can be proud of. Winning championships is important, but so is building a culture of toughness, accountability and love. We’re going to work every day to represent USD the right way, on and off the court. I’m ready to get started.”
Blount also served as an assistant coach at Colorado State for three seasons before joining the Cyclones. As a player, he was a four-year starter at Loyola Chicago, averaging 13.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game from 2005-09.
