The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack Basketball Team and Head Coach Matt Braeuer announced the hiring of Assistant Coach Payne Andrus on Wednesday afternoon.
Payne Andrus will be entering his first season on the Lumberjack coaching staff, serving as an Assistant Coach, after spending the previous two seasons serving as an Assistant Coach on the New Mexico State University Aggies coaching staff under Head Coach Jason Hooten.
This year, Andrus helped guide the Aggies to a 17-15 overall record, a 10-8 conference record, and an appearance in the Conference USA Basketball Championship Quarterfinals. The Aggies boasted one of the best defenses in the conference this season as they ranked second in the CUSA holding opponents to just 65.9 points/game and held opposing shooters to just a 39.6 field goal percentage which was best in the conference.
Before joining the Aggies coaching staff, Andrus spent three seasons with Coach Jason Hooten on the Sam Houston State University Bearkats staff and played an integral part in the Bearkats 2022-23 season that saw them compile 26 wins, earn the number one seed in the WAC Tournament, and reach the second round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
Over the course of his three seasons with the Bearkats, Andrus was a part of 63 wins, and was a key factor in assisting in the development of 8 all-conference players, including 5 first team all-league players, and 2 conference players of the year, Zach Nutall and Qua Grant.
Andrus is no stranger to overseeing some of the best defenses in the nation on a year-to-year basis as during the 22-23 season, the Bearkats ranked fourth in the country (1st in the WAC) in defense, holding opponents to 59.3 points per game. They also held teams 39.1% from the field, ranking fifth in the nation (1st in the WAC).
In between his two stints at Sam Houston, Andrus made a stop at Weatherford College, when he took over as an assistant coach during the 2021-22 season. During his single season at WC, Andrus helped lead the Coyotes to their highest win total in five years while scoring nearly 84 points per game. Before leaving Weatherford, Andrus was able to help recruit an entire new team for the 2022-23 season, including 6 all-conference selections.
Andrus earned his master’s degree from Sam Houston State University while serving as a member of the Bearkats’ coaching staff as a graduate assistant from 2019-21. At the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, Andrus was recognized by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches as Graduate Assistant Coach of the year.
Prior to joining the collegiate ranks, Andrus began his coaching career at his alma mater Willis High School, where he played for his father and earned all-district, all-region and all-country recognition. During his two years, the Wildkats had two of their most successful seasons in school history, making back-to-back UIL state playoff appearances.
As a player, Andrus began his collegiate career playing at the DI level when he attended the U.S. Naval Academy. Following his time with the Midshipmen, Andrus transferred to MidAmerica Nazarene University (NAIA) in Olathe, Kan., where he completed his undergraduate studies, made a Final 4 appearance in 2015-16, and earned all-conference honors in 2016-17.
