University of Hawai’i men’s basketball coach Eran Ganot announced the hiring of Adam Jacobsen as the team’s new assistant coach. Jacobsen comes to Hawai’i after 14 years on the men’s basketball staff at the University of Pacific, the last two as Associate Head Coach.
“We are thrilled to have Adam on board as he checks all the boxes,” said Ganot. “Adam is a man of tremendous character, work ethic, and really cares about his players. He has a proven track record of success as a coach and a player and is fired up to be part of the Rainbow Warrior basketball program. As an added bonus, he has a great understanding of the Big West Conference, having been part of five league titles as a coach and two more as one of Pacific and the conference’s best players. Please join me in welcoming Adam, his wife DeAnn and children Presley, Ava, and Luke to our Ohana!”
“I’m excited to be working with Coach Ganot and building a program with the goal of winning Big West championships and making NCAA Tournament runs,” shared Jacobsen. “I believe in Coach Ganot and the kind of person he is and the type of program he’ll run. I’m also excited about working with the staff at the University of Hawai’i and enjoying all the support we get from the community.”
Pacific enjoyed tremendous success during Jacobsen’s tenure with the program. He helped the Tigers to five Big West championships and four NCAA tournament appearances (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2012-13) under then Head Coach Bob Thomason. The team boasted seven 20-plus win seasons during that span including seven total postseason appearances to go along with an outstanding graduation rate.
Jacobsen was also an assistant coach for the Tigers during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons before returning to Pacific for the 2003-04 season. Since his return, the Tigers have boasted 11 all-conference selections, three AP All-Americans and three Big West Players of the Year in Miah Davis (2003-04), David Doubley (2004-05) and Christain Maraker (2005-06). Maraker was also a two-time academic All-American selection
Jacobsen also had an outstanding playing career at Pacific where he graduated in 1997 with a degree in Sports Sciences. He served as team captain for four seasons and guided the Tigers to two Big West championships. He was later inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame, and recently was voted to the first team on the Pacific All-Century team.
He is the career three-point leader at Pacific and is second all-time in the Big West with 311 three-pointers made. He is also the career assists leader (436) and second on the career steals list (160). With 1,513 career points, he ranks sixth all-time at Pacific, averaging 12.6 points per game over 120 games. He was a three-time all-Big West Conference second team selection and is a 2010 inductee of the Pacific Athletics Hall of Fame.
After leaving UOP following the 2001 season, Jacobsen enjoyed a successful two-year stint at his alma mater, Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, Calif. During those two seasons, he directed the program to a 39-18 record and two CIF playoff appearances. After the 2002-03 season, he was voted Pacific League Coach of the Year and named All-Area Coach of the Year by the Glendale News Press.
http://www.hawaiiathletics.com/news/2015/4/22/MBB_0422152950.aspx?path=mbball
Photo Courtesy Hawaii Athletics
