New Mexico State Head Basketball Coach Jason Hooten announced the hiring of Associate Head Coach Kenneth Mangrum who rejoins Hooten’s staff after serving as an assistant coach at Sam Houston State University 10 years ago.
“I am very happy Kenneth has decided to join us here at New Mexico State,” said Coach Hooten. “As a young assistant, he did a terrific job for us at Sam Houston. In the last few years under the guidance of Scott Cross, Kenneth has grown into a terrific coach in every facet. He understands what it takes to build and sustain a culture and winning basketball program. Kenneth also has done a tremendous job working with power forwards and centers and we look forward to the many ways he will positively impact this program.”
Mangrum’s last stop was at Troy University where he resided as an assistant for three seasons before being escalated to associate head coach ahead of the 2021-22 season. With Mangrum’s assistance, the Trojans put together back-to-back 20-plus win seasons for the first time in nearly 20 years after recording 20 wins in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.
In what would be Mangrum’s final season with the program, the Trojans returned to the postseason for the first time since its 2016 NCAA Tournament run when they earned a spot in the College Basketball Invitational. The CBI appearance came on the heels of a season in which Troy finished with the third-most Sun Belt wins (10) and advanced to the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals despite being picked to finish last in the league during the preseason.
Mangrum’s prowess on the recruiting scene helped the Trojans land Efe Odigie who went on to earn All-Sun Belt First Team, Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year and all-district second team honors. Additionally, Troy’s 2020 signing class received its first four-star commit (Antwan Burnett) in program history, two ASWA Super Five selections (Kam Woods and Duke Miles) and a three-time Alabama State Player of the Year (Woods).
In 2021-22, Mangrum helped guide the program to 20 wins – a mark it reached just four times in the previous 20 seasons. That same year, Troy also won eight road games, the most by the program since the 2009-10 season.
Prior to his stop in Troy, Ala., Mangrum spent one season at Texas Southern, where he helped lead the Tigers to a 24-14 overall record, a 14-4 record in SWAC play and an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
His one-year with Texas Southern came on the heels of a four-year stint at UT Arlington where Mangrum helped lead the Mavericks to the best overall record in program history at 27-9 in 2016-17. In total, UTA put together an 88-58 overall record and earned two postseason appearances during Mangrum’s time on staff.
Before working with the Mavericks, Mangrum was an assistant at Sam Houston, where he first connected with NM State Head Coach Jason Hooten. In their lone season together, Hooten and Mangrum led the Bearkats to an appearance in the Southland Conference championship game after posting a 24-11 overall record. The duo also helped the SHSU program claim their first postseason win at the NCAA level when they knocked off Alabama State 71-49 in the first round of the CIT.
Mangrum opened his collegiate coaching career with a six-year stay in San Angelo, Texas, where he was an assistant under Head Coach Fred Rike at Angelo State University from 2007-13. Before that, he coached two seasons at Athens High School, including one as the Hornets’ head boys’ basketball coach in 2006-07.
While earning his master’s degree in kinesiology at North Texas, Mangrum also served as a Graduate Assistant for the men’s basketball program. Mangrum also suited up as a player for the Mean Green. In four seasons, Mangrum tallied 106 career steals, a number that still ranks 10th all-time in program history. He and his wife, Leah, have two daughters, Brianna and Makaria, and one son, Kendin.
Mangrum named Associate Head Coach at New Mexico State
