Bobby Braswell, who served as the head coach at Cal State Northridge for nearly two decades, has been named to the UTEP basketball staff. Braswell will serve as Director of Basketball Operations.
"We’re fortunate to hire someone with Bobby’s knowledge and experience in the game," UTEP coach Tim Floyd said. "I think his accomplishments were tremendous at Cal State Northridge. He took two teams to the NCAA Tournament and three other teams lost in the conference finals. I don’t know how long we’ll have him here, but I know he’ll help us a great deal. He’ll be back as a head coach somewhere before long."
"I am extremely blessed and grateful for the opportunity to work at UTEP, and for such a great leader and teacher in coach Floyd," Braswell said. "The history and tradition of UTEP Basketball makes this one of the best jobs in college basketball. I’m thrilled."
In 17 seasons with the Matadors (1996-2013), Braswell compiled a 251-258 record with trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2001 and 2009. Cal State Northridge was the Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament champion in 2001, the Big West Conference regular season champ in 2008, and the Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament champion in 2009.
Braswell was chosen the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year in 2001, and the Big West Conference Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2010.
He engineered a trio of 20-win campaigns during his stay in Northridge. His squad posted a historic victory during the 2000-01 campaign, upsetting no. 15 UCLA at Pauley Pavilion 78-74. It was the team’s first victory over a nationally ranked squad.
Braswell’s teams rated in the top-25 nationally in steals in 12 of his 17 seasons, including second in 2004-05 (11.0 avg.). He coached a total of 12 players who earned first team All-Conference honors, including center Brian Heinle, the school’s first Division All-American in 2001. Heinle is Cal State Northridge’s all-time scoring leader with 1,641 points and ranks no. 2 in rebounds with 785.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Braswell was the top assistant, as well as the recruiting coordinator, at Oregon from 1992-96. The Ducks finished 19-9 during the 1994-95 season and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 34 years. A year later, Oregon put together consecutive campaigns with a winning record (17-13) for the first time in eight seasons.
Braswell was also an assistant coach at Long Beach State (1989-92), where he was a part of two NIT teams while recruiting players who made a run to the NCAA Tournament in 1992-93. It was the 49ers’ first berth in the "Big Dance" in 16 years.
He started his career as the head coach at Cleveland High School in Los Angeles (1985-89). His teams won two Valley League titles and he was twice chosen Coach of the Year. His teams were traditionally ranked among the best in the nation and stocked with future college standouts, including Lucious Harris (Long Beach State), Eddie Hill (Washington State), Adonis Jordan (Kansas) and Trevor Wilson (UCLA). Harris and Wilson both played in the NBA with Cleveland and
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