Following up on something that HoopDirt.com mentioned on Friday afternoon…
Alex Pribble, who has spent the last four years revitalizing the men’s basketball program at Saint Martin’s University, has been named an associate head coach on the Seattle University staff, Head Coach Jim Hayford announced Friday.
“We are very fortunate to have Alex join our staff,” said Hayford. “What he has accomplished at Saint Martin’s over these past four years, including two NCAA appearances and culminating with a top-10 ranking this past season, is outstanding.”
“I’m honored to join Jim Hayford and his staff here at Seattle U,” Pribble said. “It’s a great opportunity to help build on the momentum they have created over the past few years and work for a coach whom I already consider a friend and mentor. There is a great group of young men in this program, and I’m excited to get on the floor and start working with them. My wife, Camille, and I are excited to join the Redhawk family. I know this is a special community, and we can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Pribble spent the past four seasons as the head coach at Saint Martin’s, taking over a program that went 6-22 the year before his arrival and quickly turned it into a national contender. He compiled an 83-40 (.675) record in his four seasons, including back-to-back historic seasons for the Saints. The 2018-19 season was a banner year as Pribble led the Saints to a school record 26 wins – breaking last season’s record – the program’s first Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season championship, a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament appearance and the school’s first-ever Sweet 16. SMU also achieved the highest national ranking in school history, peaking at No. 8 in the media poll at the end of the regular season.
The laundry list of awards came flooding in for the Saints after the season came to a close. Pribble was named the GNAC’s Coach of the Year, Jordan Kitchen was the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, Luke Chavez added NABC and D2SIDA All-Region selections, along with a first team All-GNAC honor and an invitation to the NABC D-II All-Star Game, and EJ Boyce and Chandler Redix were each named second team All-GNAC guards.
The 2017-18 season was one for the ages, as the Saints won a then-school record NCAA-era 25 wins, reached the GNAC Championship game for the first time in school history and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Pribble coached NABC first team All-Region, D2CCA second team All-Region, first team All-GNAC, and GNAC Newcomer of the Year guard Luke Chavez and All-GNAC guard EJ Boyce.
Prior to Saint Martin’s, Pribble spent two season as an assistant coach at Eastern Washington on Hayford’s staff, which also included Seattle U Associate Head Coach Chris Victor. Pribble helped the Eagles finish 26-9 overall and 14-4 in the Big Sky Conference to share the regular-season title with University of Montana. Eastern swept through three games in the Big Sky Conference Tournament to garner the school’s second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.
“Alex was a member of another great staff I led at Eastern Washington, so we’re very familiar with each other,” Hayford said. “I feel like our staff is one of the outstanding strengths of our program and we look forward to continue building Seattle U basketball. We’re pleased to welcome Alex and Camille to our university and hope that Redhawk fans have an opportunity to meet them soon.”
Before arriving at Eastern, Pribble spent two seasons at San Francisco State where he was the top assistant for the Gators. Prior to that, he was the boys’ basketball coach at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, Calif., for three years.
While at Tamalpais, the Red Tail Hawks won 30 games and earned a trip to the North Coast Section Playoffs during the 2009-10 season. It was the school’s first playoff berth in eight years. Pribble was the head coach at Tamalpais from 2008 until 2011.
He spent the 2007-08 season as a graduate assistant coach for Cal, and also spent time as an AAU head coach and individual instructor for the North Bay Basketball Academy.
Pribble received his bachelor’s degree in 2007 and his master’s in 2008 from the University of California-Berkeley. He walked-on during his freshman season and played in 76 games for the Bears under then coach Ben Braun during his four-year collegiate career. He received a scholarship at Cal after his sophomore season, and was named team captain as a senior.
He was twice named to the Pac-10 All-Academic Team and was a two-time recipient of the Cal Hustle Award. He was also selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court and played in the inaugural Maccabi Australia International games.
The Fairfax, Calif., native graduated from Sir Francis Drake High School in 2003. He was the team’s leading scorer his senior season while earning league Most Valuable Player honors. Pribble also was a two-time All-Bay Area selection.
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