Seattle University Associate Head Coach Alex Pribble has been named the 31st head men’s basketball coach in University of Idaho program history, Vandal Director of Athletics Terry Gawlik announced.
“I am thrilled to name Coach Pribble as our next head men’s basketball coach,” Gawlik said. “Alex is a proven program-builder, and as our search progressed, it became clear that he was the right person to lead our program into the future. His energy and commitment to building a championship culture and sustainable success are in perfect alignment with my goals for our men’s basketball program.”
An introductory press conference to announce Pribble as the next Idaho head coach will take place Monday, March 20 at 3 p.m. at the ICCU Arena Alumni Club Room. The event will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Pribble joins the Vandals after serving as an associate head coach for four seasons at Seattle U, where he helped lead the Redhawks to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the 1960s and the programs’ first-ever Western Athletic Conference regular season title.
“We are committed to elevating all of our programs at the University of Idaho,” said Gawlik. “Alex’s ability to build relationships with our student-athletes, recruits, the Pacific Northwest basketball community, as well as our Vandal alumni and community members, will make a tremendous impact not only in the immediate future, but for sustained long-term success. We are so excited to welcome Alex, his wife Camille, and their upcoming new addition to the Vandal Family!”
During the 2022-23 season, Pribble helped guide the Redhawks to their second consecutive 20-win season and a 7-0 start in WAC play. Seattle U’s hot start in conference action received national attention as the Redhawks were among the top teams in the nation to receive votes in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
Throughout the season, Pribble was pivotal in the development of First Team All-WAC guard Cameron Tyson, who went on to average 18.6 points per game and total the most three-pointers among all players in the Western Athletic Conference at 97.
The run through the 2021-22 season saw the Redhawks achieve a 23-9 overall record and a 14-4 mark in the WAC, en route to earning a regular season conference championship. Seattle U started WAC play 8-0 for the first time in 10 years and saw the program reach 23 wins for the first time since 1957-58.
“I am truly honored to be the next head coach at the University of Idaho,” Pribble said. “Thank you to President Scott Green and Terry Gawlik for giving me the opportunity to lead this program and be a part of this terrific university. My wife and I are excited to get to Moscow and meet the rest of the Vandal family.
“We are focused on developing a championship culture, with young men who will achieve excellence on the court, in the classroom, and as leaders in the community,” Pribble continued. “We hope that the Vandal fans will be excited about the brand of basketball being played in the ICCU. You will see a fast pace, a physical defense, and intensity on both ends of the court. We can’t wait to get the journey started. Go Vandals!”
Prior to his time with the Redhawks, Pribble spent four highly successful years as the head men’s basketball coach at NCAA Division II Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington. He took over a program that went 6-22 overall in the year before Pribble’s arrival to quickly rebuild a program that put together four-straight winning seasons, two consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, the program’s first-ever Sweet 16 berth and achieve the school’s highest national ranking (No. 8) in program history.
In the 2018-19 season, Pribble led the Saints to a school record 26 wins and the school’s first Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season championship. Pribble went on to be named the GNAC Coach of the Year and boast four players who would receive All-GNAC postseason honors and regional recognition.
Before his tenure at Saint Martin’s, Pribble spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Eastern Washington from 2013 to 2015. During the 2014-15 season, Pribble helped cap off a historic season for the Eagles, who finished 26-9 overall and 14-4 in the Big Sky Conference to clinch a share of the regular-season title and garner the school’s second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.
Big Sky Player of the Year Tyler Harvey helped facilitate the Eagles’ run as the nation’s leading scorer at 23.1 points per game, en route to being selected as a second-round pick in the NBA Draft in 2015.
Prior to arriving at Eastern Washington, Pribble was the top assistant for two seasons at San Francisco State. He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at California-Berkeley under then-head coach Ben Braun.
Pribble graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology in 2007 and a master’s degree in education in 2008 from California-Berkeley. A walk-on at Cal before receiving a scholarship after his sophomore season, Pribble played in 76 games for the Bears under Braun during his four-year collegiate career.
A Fairfax, Calif. native, Pribble, 37, graduated from Sir Francis Drake High School in 2003. He and his wife Camille are excited to welcome a baby boy in April.
Pribble will announce his entire basketball staff at a later date.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2007-08: UC-Berkeley (graduate assistant)
2008-11: Tamalpais High School (head coach)
2011-13: San Francisco State (assistant coach)
2013-15: Eastern Washington University (assistant coach)
2015-19: Saint Martin’s University (head coach)
2019-23: Seattle University (associate head coach)
2023-present: Idaho (head coach)
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT ALEX PRIBBLE
“I couldn’t be more excited for Alex and the University of Idaho has made a terrific hire. With his great basketball mind, love for the game and years of experience in the Pacific Northwest, there is no doubt that he will be successful. Most importantly, he is an outstanding person who will be a great mentor and leader for the Idaho basketball program and the young men that will play for him.”
– Chris Victor, Head Coach – Seattle U
“Alex is a west coast guy through and through. He can recruit and run an offense with the best coaches in the country. He has been successful at every program he’s been a part of and I have no doubt that he will continue that at Idaho. He simply knows how to win.”
– Shantay Legans, Head Coach – Portland
“Alex was a fierce competitor and great team leader on some of our best teams at Cal. His ability to connect to his teammates and now earn the respect of his players as a coach will make him successful. He will do an excellent job leading his team as the head coach at Idaho.”
– Ben Braun, Former Head Coach – Cal
