Oklahoma Panhandle State University Director of Athletics Meghan Mulcahy has announced that men’s basketball Head Coach Aaron Coombs has resigned his position with the Aggies. In his letter dated Monday (June 3), Coombs cited his intent to assume another coaching position, with Friday, June 7 as his final day with the Aggies.
“We certainly thank Coach Coombs for all he did for the Panhandle State program,” OPSU President Dr. Tim Faltyn stated. “In his short time here, Coach Coombs managed to tap into the upward trend of our entire athletics program and effectively used that momentum to take men’s basketball to a level of success the team has not enjoyed in many years. I have the confidence that our next coach will build upon the foundation laid by the 2018-19 Aggies and that players looking for a place to pursue their college career will know that the Panhandle State basketball program has a bright future.”
Coombs, in his one season at the Aggies’ helm, went 16-14 overall, and the squad earned a conference playoff berth for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Coombs took over a team that was 11-17 in 2017-18 and had just posted double-digit victory totals for the first time since 2002-03. Coombs’ team built on that upswing with another double-digit win season, also going .500 or better for the first time since 2002-03.
The Aggies success on the court earned the attention of post-season voters with an all-America award (Breiman Alexander) and four-of-five starters earning a place on the Sooner Athletic Conference honor role. Just two seniors were among last year’s 17-man roster.
“Coach Coombs has done an exceptional job instilling a new found excitement in our men’s basketball program,” Mulcahy said. “I know everyone appreciates his hard work, and he will be missed. Everyone associated with the program – fans, recruits, returning players – needs to know that we are committed to finding the best possible replacement in as an expedient a manner as possible. We want to make sure that the progress made within the men’s basketball program over this past year continues to grow.”
Mulcahy will oversee a committee to conduct a national search for the Aggies’ next men’s basketball head coach.
