San Diego men’s basketball head coach JR Blount announced Monday the addition of four members to his support staff: Josh Calbert as recruiting coordinator, Jawaun Newton as director of player development, Patrick Gallagher as video coordinator and Jackson Carter as director of operations.
Josh Calbert, Recruiting Coordinator
Calbert joins the Toreros after two seasons on Pepperdine’s men’s basketball staff (2024-26), where he served as an assistant coach under Ed Schilling. In his first season in Malibu, Calbert helped lead the Waves to their first WCC Tournament semifinal appearance in four seasons.
Widely regarded as one of the most connected recruiters on the West Coast, Calbert was named to Silver Waves Media’s 2026 list of the 100 Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistants and GMs. He was also selected to attend the 2025 Silver Waves Elite 75 Future Head Coach Power Lunch, an invitation-only event held during the Final Four that brings together 75 of the top assistant coaches across the nation.
Prior to Pepperdine, Calbert spent the 2023-24 season as coordinator of player development at Arkansas-Little Rock, helping the Trojans to a 21-13 record and a spot in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). His previous stops include roles at South Dakota Coyotes men’s basketball (2022–23) and Northern Illinois Huskies men’s basketball (2021–22) as director of recruiting.
Calbert spent six seasons prior to his college coaching career as director and coach of West Coast Elite NorCal, an Under Armour Circuit AAU program based in Walnut Creek, Calif., where he helped establish a top-five ranking among 16U programs on the West Coast. His individual training and coaching resume there includes two McDonald’s All-Americans, five NBA draft picks and over 50 NCAA DI players.
Calbert spent six seasons with West Coast Elite NorCal (Under Armour Circuit), where he helped establish a top-five ranking among 16U AAU programs on the West Coast while developing two McDonald’s All-Americans, five NBA Draft picks and more than 50 NCAA Division I players.
Before his time with West Coast Elite, Calbert worked in the high school ranks as a junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant at Deer Valley High School (2012-13), helping guide the JV squad to a league championship while assisting the varsity team to a league title. He later served as an assistant at Salesian College Preparatory in Richmond, Calif.
A native of Pittsburg, Calif., Calbert brings deep roots and extensive relationships throughout the West Coast recruiting landscape to the Torero program.
“Torero fans, we’re excited to welcome Josh Calbert to our program,” said Blount. “He brings an elite basketball mind, a relentless work ethic and strong California roots that will help lead and organize our recruiting efforts both locally and nationally. With established connections across every region of the country and a reputation as a tireless relationship-builder, Josh adds immediate value as we continue to strengthen our roster. We look forward to utilizing his diverse recruiting background as we build toward sustained success.”
Jawaun Newton, Director of Player Development
Newton arrives in San Diego after two seasons on T.J. Otzelberger’s staff at Iowa State, where he served as a graduate assistant, alongside Blount. In his first season with the Cyclones (2024-25), Iowa State finished 25-10 overall and 13-7 in the Big 12, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cyclones climbed as high as No. 2 in the AP Poll — the highest ranking in program history — and finished the season ranked No. 17.
In his second season (2025-26), Iowa State opened with a 16-0 start, highlighted by victories over No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 Houston, No. 9 Kansas and No. 14 St. John’s. The Cyclones earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16, finishing the season ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll.
The El Paso, Texas native brings firsthand experience as a high-level college player. He played four years at Evansville (2018-22) before using his COVID year of eligibility as a graduate transfer at Southern Illinois (2022-23). He helped the Salukis to a 23-10 record and a spot in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinals.
During his four-year career with the Evansville, Newton appeared in 103 games with 65 starts, averaging 8.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. He averaged 13.5 points per game as a junior and 12.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a senior. Newton scored a career-high 30 points in a triple-overtime loss to Rice and was part of a historic moment in November 2019 when Evansville knocked off No. 1 Kentucky 67-64 — the first win over a top-ranked team in program history.
Newton’s younger brother, Tristen, won back-to-back national championships at UConn and was selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. He is also cousins with Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones and former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Alvin Jones.
“We’re excited to introduce Jawaun Newton to our program,” said Blount. “He will be integral to the development of our roster both on and off the court, bringing a commitment to helping our student-athletes grow in every aspect of their game and character. Jawaun is known for building genuine, lasting relationships and for his relentless consistency in his approach. His dedication to daily improvement and his passion for player development will have a lasting impact on our program.”
Patrick Gallagher, Video Coordinator
Gallagher returns for his fourth season on the University of San Diego Men’s Basketball staff in 2026-27, serving as video coordinator, his seventh year total with the program. Before joining the coaching staff, Gallagher spent three years as student manager for the program before earning a spot on the roster and the court during his senior season.
Gallagher focuses on video and scouting operations and player development for the Toreros, playing an integral part in film analysis and skill work, along with other operational responsibilities for USD.
In 2024, Gallagher was recognized by Silver Waves Media as one of the “Top-50 NXT Up in Men’s Support Staff”, an honor given to standout individuals considered poised for future assistant coaching roles at the collegiate level.
Gallagher also served as an Operations Associate for Attitude of Gratitude (formerly West Coast Elite), helping organize elite-level events and grassroots basketball showcases across the West Coast.
A native of the East Bay Area, Gallagher was a team captain at Amador Valley High School, where he led the Dons during his senior year. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing, with a minor in Psychology, from the University of San Diego in 2023.
“We’re excited to welcome Patrick Gallagher back to USD,” said Blount. “He brings a deep, steadfast knowledge of the university and a genuine love for everything it stands for. Patrick’s values align seamlessly with both the vision of our program and the core tenants of the university, making him an invaluable presence on our staff. With an insightful and innovative basketball mind, he will play an important role in shaping our team and continuing to build a program that reflects the very best of USD.”
Jackson Carter, Director of Operations
Carter comes to America’s Finest City with Blount from Iowa State, where he served as a student manager for three seasons and will graduate with a degree in marketing.
While with the Cyclones, the program reached the NCAA Tournament in each season and cracked the top-five of the AP Poll. In his first season (2023-24), Iowa State finished 29-8 and won the Big 12 Tournament Championship, reaching the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and climbing as high as No. 4 in the AP Poll before finishing No. 8.
In Carter’s second season with Iowa State, the Cyclones finished 25-10 overall and 13-7 in the Big 12, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, climbing as high as No. 2 in the AP Poll — the highest ranking in program history — finishing the year ranked No. 17. In his senior year as a manager, Iowa State opened with a 16-0 start highlighted by victories over No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 Houston, No. 9 Kansas and No. 14 St. John’s, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament en route to another Sweet 16.
Carter held a wide range of responsibilities as a student manager at ISU, including preparing film for practices, games and recruiting, working out players individually, assisting with drills and helping train new managers.
He also brings experience at the AAU level, serving as a coach for Beyond Ball and as a manager on the Nike EYBL Circuit.
A native of Runnells, Iowa, Carter is the middle child with a brother and a sister. His father, Matt, coached basketball locally for 25 years and won three straight Iowa State Basketball Championships. He and his family have four dogs: Wrigley, Wilson, Finn and Shadow.
“We’re excited to introduce Jackson Carter to our program,” said Blount. “He will be a key facet of what we’re building in every area — on the court, in the classroom and in the community. Jackson brings a solution-oriented mindset and an elite, promising young basketball mind that will add tremendous value to our staff and student-athletes. His approach, energy and commitment to excellence will make a meaningful impact across our program.”
