The University of the Pacific Department of Athletics has announced a contract extension for head men’s basketball coach Damon Stoudamire through the 2025-26 season.
Stoudamire, who is entering his fifth season as head coach, is fresh off of one of the most successful seasons in program history, which included being named the 2019-20 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year.
“I am excited to know I’ll be in Stockton for another 6 years,” said Stoudamire. “I want to thank the Pacific administration for giving me my first head coaching opportunity. Things like this happen when you work with good people and my staff has been a big part of our success…As we head into a new era of leadership under Chris Callahan and Janet Lucas, I look forward to continuing to develop young men in not only the game of basketball, but life as well.”
Finishing with a 23-10 overall record, the Tigers placed tied for third with Saint Mary’s in the final WCC regular season standings in 2019-20, earning a top four seed in the conference tournament for the first time since rejoining the WCC in 2013. Additionally, 23 wins also marked the highest total in the Stoudamire era as the former NBA veteran guided UOP to their best finish since 2013- when the Tigers earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
As a whole, Stoudamire directed a determined defensive unit which led the conference and ranked No. 42 nationally in scoring defense (64.3 ppg) last season. Collectively as a team in 2019-20, Pacific ranked at the top of the WCC in scoring defense (64.5 ppg, 45th nationally), field-goal percentage defense (41.6%, 97th nationally), blocked shots per game (3.9 bpg, 78th nationally) and total blocks (129, 70th nationally).
Individually, Stoudamire coached Jahlil Tripp to a spot on the All-WCC First Team, helping the senior earn WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors as well as being selected to the NABC District 9 Second Team. Stoudamire also helped Daniss Jenkins land the program’s first All-WCC Freshman Team honor.
“In just four years, Coach Stoudamire has energized our men’s basketball program, making it a true point of pride for our university and community,” said Director of Athletics, Janet Lucas. “The vision and leadership that he provides is making a difference on the court, in the classroom, and in the lives of our student-athletes. We are excited about Damon continuing to lead this program and build on their success for years to come.”
Stoudamire was also honored as the Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year in 2019-20, given annually to the top minority coach at the Division I level. Additionally, he led the Tigers to their first win at San Francisco since 2007 and set two team milestones against Portland, recording season wins number 15 (for the first time in the Stoudamire era) and 20 on the season to cement the program’s first 20-win season since 2012-13.
Overall, Pacific has continued to noticeably improve each season with Stoudamire at the helm. As a program, the Tigers took down Saint Mary’s in Stockton for the first time since 1997 this past January and have seen two student-athletes be named conference Defensive Player of the Year under Stoudamire’s watch- Namdi Okonkwo (2017-18) and Tripp (2019-20). Stoudamire’s nomination as WCC Coach of the Year in 2019-20 also marked the first time a Tiger head coach has won the award since Dick Edwards won his third in 1970-71.
Impressively, Pacific has also seen at least one student-athlete be named to a WCC All-Conference team in each season with Stoudamire as head coach. Overall, 8 Tigers have collected honors from the WCC under Stoudamire, ranging from Honorable Mention to First-Team All-Conference.
In the classroom, Stoudamire has pushed the Tigers to new heights as well, as 12 of the 13 seniors during his tenure have graduated from Pacific. Additionally, the 2019-20 men’s basketball team recently recorded the program’s highest cumulative GPA in 10 years for an overall academic year, notching a 2.85 cumulative GPA over the fall and spring semesters.
“I truly am so happy for coach Stoudamire,” said associate head coach Leonard Perry. “When we arrived here four years ago and realized exactly where the program was, we got straight to work. Every time we hit a bump in the road, coach would remind us of our goal. He takes as much pride in student-athletes off the floor and how they act in the class room and in their community as he does when they are on the floor competing. I look forward to continuing what he’s built here throughout our program at UOP.”
https://pacifictigers.com/news/2020/7/22/general-stoudamire-extended-through-2025-26.aspx
