Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball head coach Dedrique Taylor has added Joe Harge to his coaching staff as an assistant coach.
“We are very fortunate to add Joe to the Titan family,” Taylor said. “He brings a plethora of coaching and recruiting experience. Joe has built a tremendous rep working with and developing post players and we are excited to see his immediate impact on our program in three very important areas; recruiting, player development and on-the-court coaching.”
Harge most recently served as head coach at New Mexico Highlands of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division II level. Harge served as head coach for six seasons. In the 2008-09 season, his first with the Cowboys, the team went 20-8 after going 1-28 the previous year, breaking the all-time NCAA record for turnaround wins in all divisions. Harge would earn RMAC Coach of the Year Honors that season, leading the Cowboys to an RMAC West Division title.
“I am excited and humbled to be able to join the Fullerton men’s basketball coaching staff,” Harge said. “It is a blessing for me to get back into college basketball and I am very thankful to be able to work with such a great group. I want to thank head coach Dedrique Taylor along with Danny Sprinkle, John Smith, and Anthony Santos for welcoming me with open arms. I look forward to a great and promising season and working with our student athletes both on and off the court.”
In his six seasons at NMH, Harge led the Cowboys to their first ever NCAA Tournament in the 2009-10 season and went to the RMAC Tournament five times.
Prior to NMH, Harge served as an assistant coach for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the National Basketball Association’s Developmental League (NBDL) in 2006-07; helping lead the T-Birds to a third place finish in the D-League’s Western Division and an appearance in the NBDL Playoffs. He served under head coach and former Lakers player Michael Cooper and coached NBA players Shannon Brown, John Edwards, and Donta Smith at Albuquerque.
From 2004-06, Harge served as the head coach of the Arkansas Rimrockers. In the team’s inaugural season in 2004-05, the Rimrockers were a part of the American Basketball Association and went 32-5. They went on to win the ABA Championship, earning Harge the USAbasket.com ABA Coach of the Year Award. The team moved to the NBDL the following season and went 24-24, Harge’s last year as head coach. Cal State Fullerton alum Pape Sow was a member of Harge’s 2005-06 team in Arkansas.
Harge served as an assistant coach at Arkansas Little Rock. Serving on head coach Porter Moser’s (2001-02, 2002-03) and Steve Shields’ (2003-04) coaching staff, Harge helped lead the Trojans to a 53-35 record during his time on staff, winning the 2003-04 Sun Belt Conference East Division title.
In 2000, Harge got his first collegiate coaching job, garnering an assistant coach spot at the University of Idaho.
Harge started out as associate head coach at Thomas Jefferson HS in Denver, CO. While at Thomas Jefferson he helped in leading the team to its first City Championship in 15 years.
A graduate of St. Pius X H.S. in Albuquerque, NM, Harge was a member of the undefeated 1985 State Championship team for the Sartans. While at St. Pius X H.S. Harge was named a McDonald’s, Converse, and USA Today High School All-American. Harge then went on to Oregon State University on a basketball scholarship and earned a B.S. in Communication. While at Oregon State, Harge and his teammates made 2 NCAA NIT Tournament appearances under legendary coach Ralph Miller. Harge then went on to play professional basketball in many different leagues. Harge played all around Europe and was invited to attend NBA camps with the Indiana Pacers and the Denver Nuggets.
http://www.fullertontitans.com/sports/m-baskbl/2016-17/releases/20160804snlmmj
