Jeremy Harden joined the Washington State men’s basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach, WSU Head Coach Kyle Smith announced Thursday. Harden joins the Washington State following one season at Idaho and five seasons as the head coach at Wenatchee Valley College (WVC).
“I want to thank Coach Smith for the opportunity to be a part of this great program and the Palouse community,” Harden said. “Coach Smith is a veteran in the industry, and I am eager to hit the ground running alongside his coaching staff. I look forward to contributing to the future success of Coug basketball in any way I can. Go Cougs!”
Harden brings over 10 years of college coaching experience to Washington State. While leading from 2017-2022, he led the Knights to an impressive 95-35 (.730) overall record and five consecutive winning seasons. Harden’s most recent success came in the 2021-22 season, guiding WVC to a Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) East Region title and an NWAC Final Four appearance. Harden was named East Region Coach of the Year, while the team held the best regional record (15-1) and was the No. 1 scoring offense (93.1 PPG).
“We are extremely lucky to add Jeremy Harden to our coaching staff,” Smith said. “His journey to Wazzu has been a well-earned opportunity. As someone with head coaching experience, he understands the complexities and nuances of what it takes to run a basketball program.”
In his time at Wenatchee Valley, Harden earned a pair of East Region NWAC championships, leading the conference in field goal percentage (.530) and made 3-pointers (13 per game). In 2019, Harden led the Knights to the highest points per game (84.96) average in over 20 years and guided Wenatchee Valley back to the postseason for the first time in four years.
“Jeremy is familiar with the state and the region,” Smith added. “He was a very successful head coach at Wenatchee Valley. With the roster adjustments in college basketball’s new era, Jeremy’s experience of putting competitive teams together in a quicker fashion will be invaluable.”
Before WVC, Harden served as an assistant coach for one season at National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) Tohono O’odham Community College (TOCC) on a Native American reservation in Sells, Ariz.
Prior to TOCC, Harden spent three seasons (2013-16) at Boise State University as the director of player development under head coach Leon Rice. Harden helped lead the Broncos to their first Mountain West Conference Championship in 2015 and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
“Jeremy will work with all facets of our program and will bring an ability to recruit in this region and on the west coast, which is vital to our success,” Smith said of Harden’s background. “This is a win-win for Jeremy and Coug basketball.”
Harden made his college coaching debut in 2012, serving one season as an assistant at Eastern Oregon University (EOU). The Mountaineers tallied a 28-5 record and received their first No. 1 ranking in program history. EOU went on to win the Cascade Collegiate Conference championship and earn a berth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national tournament.
Harden, a Tucson, Ariz., native, played for two seasons at Pima Community College. He was a two-year starter and led the Aztecs to their first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region Championship, along with a No. 7 overall finish at the 2010 NJCAA National Championships.
He graduated from Eastern Oregon University with a master’s degree in business administration in 2016 and received a bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of Arizona in 2012.
