Luis Lopez, who played basketball at Oklahoma Christian for legendary coach Dan Hays and alongside current interim head coach Kendre Talley, will return to OC as an assistant coach, Talley announced.
Lopez, from Edmond, spent the last two years working as a graduate assistant coach at NCAA Division I North Texas, serving under head coach Grant McCasland. During Lopez’s first season at UNT, the Mean Green went 20-18 and won the College Basketball Invitational title, and last season, North Texas posted a 21-12 record.
He arrived at OC for the 2013-14 season out of Bishop McGuinness High School in Oklahoma City, where he played for former OC player Tondrell Durham. One of Lopez’s senior teammates that season was Talley, a fellow point guard who was named as a National Christian College Athletic Association All-American.
Lopez played for Hays for three seasons before Hays stepped down, then played his senior season for coach Cory Cole, serving as the Eagles’ captain. Hays and Cole both often lauded Lopez’s leadership ability and noted how hard he worked, even though his playing time often was modest. Talley sees the same qualities in Lopez.
“I’m really excited about having Luis at OC,” Talley said. “As a player here, he was one of the most admired student-athletes on campus. He’s proactive and brings a ton of energy day in and day out. He will be a great asset in both recruiting and coaching on the floor. Luis is the type of man our players will want to follow. It’s another great day for OC basketball!”
At OC, Lopez made the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Honors Court academic honor list three times, was named as recipient of Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award three times and made the Heartland Conference Academic Honor Roll President’s List every semester he was enrolled. He also organized a fundraiser for Lubbock Christian (Texas) volleyball player Malori Maddox (who was stricken with a life-threatening medical condition) that raised $1,000.
He played in 67 games for OC, scoring a career-high seven points against Arkansas-Fort Smith on Jan. 24, 2015.
Lopez’s hiring completes Talley’s coaching staff for the 2019-20 season. Talley earlier announced Hays’ return as a volunteer assistant coach and current assistant coach Gary Jones also will be back for a third season.
“I am very thankful to have this opportunity to come back to Oklahoma Christian and work under coach Talley’s leadership,” Lopez said. “I know the vision he has for this program I am honored to be part of his staff along with coach Hays and coach Jones. Oklahoma Christian is a university that means a lot to me and it is filled with incredible people. I am excited to get started and work with this special group.
“I will forever be grateful to coach McCasland and the opportunity he gave me at North Texas. I learned to compete and win at the highest level and I feel fully prepared for this next step.”
Lopez Named Assistant Basketball Coach at Oklahoma Christian
