Chris Jans’ first order of business as New Mexico State’s head men’s basketball coach is the hiring of Lou Gudino as his associate head coach.
“I have always respected Coach Jans for as long as I’ve known him,” Gudino said. “I’m also very well aware of the basketball history at New Mexico State and have admired it. Both Coach Jans and the Aggie basketball program have a great track record of winning. I am very grateful for this opportunity and look forward to finding student-athletes to join the Aggie family.”
Gudino, a 20-year veteran, recently wrapped up his 10th season with the Sycamores and seventh as the team’s associate head coach.
“I am thrilled to announce the hiring of Coach Gudino as our associate head coach,” Jans said. “I’ve known Lou for almost 20 years and have the utmost respect for him as a person and a professional. It’s extremely beneficial to hire someone this loyal, trustworthy, talented and a proven veteran. I believe we got better today!”
In his decade of service at Indiana State, Gudino saw the Sycamores compete in five-straight postseason tournaments – including an NCAA appearance in 2011 and back-to-back appearances in the National Invitational Tournament (2012-14).
Gudino spent his first three seasons under former head coach Kevin McKenna (2007-10) before joining forces with current Sycamore head coach Greg Lansing. As the recruiting and scheduling coordinator for Indiana State under Lansing, he was integral in the program recording 18-plus wins in four-consecutive campaigns for the first time in school history (2011-14).
In 2011, Gudino helped Indiana State navigate the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, also known as #ArchMadness to league fans, and earned the Sycamores their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001. The victory was just the third MVC Tournament Championship in ISU history, beating out Evansville, Wichita State (eventual NIT Champion) and top-seeded Missouri State.
During his tenure in Terra Haute, Ind., Gudino coached eight All-MVC honorees, including two-time First-Time All-Missouri Valley Conference recipient Jake Odum (2012-14). He also played a role in Brenton Scott earning the 2015 MVC Freshman of the Year honors.
Following its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 10 years, the Sycamores took down No. 25 Vanderbilt in route to a third-place finish at the Old Spice Classic and took third-place – the highest finish by any MVC team in the tournament.
Prior to his time with the Sycamores, Gudino spent two seasons at Louisiana Tech (2005-07) as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. The Bulldogs posted a 20-13 record his first season in Ruston, La., and 11-5 in Western Athletic Conference play before earning a bid to the NIT that year.
Before making the jump to Division I, Gudino was the head coach at Frank Phillips Junior College (2003-05). During his two seasons in Borger, Texas, he compiled a 42-18 overall record after inheriting a team that won just seven games.
By the end of his second season with the Plainsmen, Frank Phillips JC captured the program’s first-ever Western Junior College Athletic Conference title and a No. 16 national ranking. The 26-4 mark in 2004-05 also earned Gudino WJCAC Coach of the Year honors before leaving with a 42-18 overall record.
Prior to the turnaround at Franklin Phillips JC, the Clinton, Ind., product served as an assistant at NCAA Division II Incarnate Word (2000-03).
Gudino spent the 1999-00 season at power house Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan., where he helped lead the Cougars to a conference championship. Barton earned a No. 1 ranking after going 32-2 on the year and was also a region VI finalist.
Gudino got his first taste of coaching in the collegiate ranks at Howard College (1997-99). At the end of his tenure, Gudino helped lead the Hawks to a conference championship in 1999 and was ranked No. 10 after posting a 26-5 mark at season’s end as a region V finalist.
Gudino made his coaching debut in 1994 as the assistant boys’ varsity coach at Martinsville High School in Martinsville, Ind., before leaving in 1997 for Howard College.
A graduate of South Vermillion High School in Clinton, Ind., Gudino earned his bachelor’s degree in financial management at Indiana in 1997 and received his master’s in sports management from Incarnate Word in 2003.
