The San José State men’s basketball team gains the experience of two NCAA postseason appearances as a player and coaching success at the high school, junior college and Division I levels with the addition of Will Kimble as an assistant coach. Spartans head coach Jean Prioleau made the announcement.
“I’ve always watched Will from a distance while being on the recruiting circuit,” Prioleau said. “This business is based on relationships and Will has done a tremendous job cultivating relationships in the state of California and across the country. Will can help all of our players develop and most importantly our post players will be mentored by someone who played the position.”
Kimble began his playing career as a center at Pepperdine where he and the Waves reached the NIT in his freshman season and went to the NCAA Tournament the following year. He finished his playing eligibility at UTEP where he competed for two seasons.
Kimble comes to the Spartans after spending the 2016-17 season as an assistant coach at UC Riverside. With Kimble’s guidance senior forward Secean Johnson led the Highlanders in scoring at 12.0 ppg and was named to the Big West’s Honorable Mention Team.
Prior to UC Riverside, Kimble was the associate head coach for five seasons at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles. During Kimble’s time the Phantoms ascended up the California high school ranks, reaching No. 13 in the state during the 2014-15 season when the team made the CIF Division III State Championships finals.
Kimble then returned to Pepperdine where he was an assistant for the 2008-11 seasons.
Kimble’s coaching career began in 2006-07 as the head coach at Bethel Temple High School in El Paso, Texas. In his only season with the team, the program reached the Texas Christian Athletic finals.
The following year Kimble became the assistant coach at Citrus College in Glendora, Calif., and guided the team to a near-perfect 35-1 record. The team won its first-ever junior college state title.
Kimble earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising at Pepperdine in 2004. He went on to earn a master’s degree in education from UTEP in 2006.
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