It didn’t take long for Point Loma to hire its next head coach for the PLNU Men’s Basketball team. Nor did the hiring committee have to look very far.
PLNU Athletic Director Ethan Hamilton announced the promotion of Justin Downer to Men’s Basketball Head Coach on Friday, elevating him from his previous position as an assistant coach, effective immediately.
“I am thrilled for Justin to be the new leader of our men’s basketball program,” Hamilton said. “His passion, depth of character and faith set him apart from several qualified candidates. I am confident he will build on the great foundation that’s been laid by so many before him.”
Downer becomes PLNU’s 16th head coach in program history, replacing Matt Logie, who on Monday accepted the head coaching job at NCAA Division I Montana State.
“I’m thrilled and humbled to be named the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Point Loma,” Downer said. “I want to thank President Brower, Ethan Hamilton and the rest of the hiring committee for believing in me to lead this program.
“Everyone knows how beautiful this place is and how strong the tradition is, but what I’m really thankful for is the people who make this place special. Having the opportunity to raise my family on this campus is an absolute blessing and I can’t wait to build on the success here.”
Downer joined the Sea Lions coaching staff in April 2022 ahead of the 2022-23 season, which proved to be one of the most successful in program history.
Last season, Point Loma went 29-4 overall, winning the PacWest regular season title after becoming the first team in conference history to finish an unbeaten 20-0 in conference play. The Sea Lions went on to also win the PacWest Tournament before earning the No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Regional.
PLNU reached the regional championship game, finishing the season ranked No. 7 in the final D2SIDA Media Poll.
“Last year’s team was special and the feedback we’ve gotten from the community and in recruiting has been overwhelmingly positive with people that want to be a part of our basketball family,” Downer said. “All of the credit goes to our players and the standards they have set.
“A year ago, Matt Logie and Julius Smith accepted me into their basketball family with open arms, encouraged me to be myself and allowed me to lead this program. I’m forever grateful for them and every player on last year’s roster who welcomed me. Without that group, this opportunity isn’t possible. Each member of that team will always have a special place in my heart.”
Downer inherits a program that has made six-consecutive NCAA West Regional appearances, the longest active streak in the region, having won at least the PacWest regular season or tournament title in each of the past four full seasons.
“I intend to continue to build on the excellence that PLNU Men’s Basketball stands for on and off the floor,” Downer said. “This program has set the bar as a premier college basketball program nationally, and our vision is to grow it to new heights.
“More than anything, I’m proud of what our program represents and I am excited to serve our community and university. This university gives our players the opportunity to be challenged athletically, academically, personally and spiritually and we will grow daily in those areas.”
Prior to his one season as an assistant coach at Point Loma, Downer spent the previous three years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at NCAA Division I Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. There he helped recruit the highest-rated recruiting class in program history and coach the team to its first postseason win in seven years.
Before that, he served as an assistant coach at Vanguard University in the NAIA, as associate head coach at Riverside Poly High School and as the associate director of the Under Armour West Coast Elite club program.
During his one season at Vanguard in 2018-19, he helped lead the team to its best start in program history (16-0) and a berth into the NAIA National Tournament, finishing the season ranked 10th in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll.
At Riverside Poly, he coached the team to its first winning season in 15 years and its first CIF State Championship appearance and State Tournament berth in 35 years. There he coached current San Diego State star Lamont Butler, who famously hit the game-winning shot in this year’s NCAA Division I Final Four that sent the Aztecs to their first-ever national title game.
With Under Armour West Coast Elite, Downer coached and developed more than 60 future NCAA Division I players, including Nico Mannion and Josh Green who went on to play in the NBA.
PLNU’s newest head coach played collegiate basketball at William Jessup University, where he ranks eighth in program history in 3-pointers made.
“We look forward to Justin, his wife Nicole and the rest of their young family to thrive and become further entrenched in the Point Loma community for a long time to come,” Hamilton said.
https://plnusealions.com/news/2023/4/21/mens-basketball-downer-hired-as-next-head-coach.aspx
