Jason R. Aula (Photo credit: Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review) LOS ANGELES, California — Dan Monson was hired as head coach at Eastern Washington University of the Big Sky Conference replacing former head coach David Riley who signed with Washington State. After 17 seasons as head coach at Long Beach State Dan Monson was fired in lieu of the program's 10th NCAA tournament appearance in March Madness 2024. Dan began his coaching career in 1988 as University Alabama-Birmingham as a graduate assistant coach. "Eastern Washington University is a huge part of Spokane County and our region. Throughout the search for our next men's basketball coach, it was important, for us, to identify a head coach who represented this area," Director of Athletics Tim Collins said. "While talking to Dan, it became clear that this region matters as much to him as Eastern does to it." Prior to Eastern Washington, at Long Beach State Dan Monson (275-273) won four coaches of the year awards, made four appearances in NIT, four Big West Conference championships, and NCAA tournament appearances in 2012 and 2024. Dan Monson (52-17) took Gonzaga dancing all the way to the Elite Eight at the 1999 NCAA tournament and Minnesota to the 2005 NCAA tournament and four appearances in the NIT with 118 wins and 106 losses from the 1999-00 through the 2006-07 seasons. Dan Monson's current career head coaching record stands at 445 wins and 396 losses. Dan Monson's father, Don Monson (216-186) all-time NCAA record, was head coach of Idaho guiding the Vandals to the Sweet 16 in the 1982 NCAA tournament and the 1981 NCAA Tournament. Dan is now the 20th head coach in Eastern Washington program history.  (Photo credit: Eastern Washington University Athletics) Jason R. Aula (Photo credit: Meg McLaughlin | The San Diego Union-Tribune) LOS ANGELES, California — Long Beach State has hired San Diego State University assistant coach Chris Acker as its next men's basketball coach, according to a source. Chris Acker is fresh off a hunt for a national championship at March Madness with the San Diego State University Aztecs advancing to the Sweet 16 at the 2024 NCAA tournament.
Acker is replacing Dan Monson, who was fired three weeks ago after 17 seasons to become a free agent and candidate for the head coaching job at Washington State. Monson led LBSU to 2024 and 2012 NCAA tournament appearances. Dan Monson (275-273) won four coach of the year awards, made four NIT appearances, and won four Big West Conference championships well leading LBSU. Monson has an all-time career record of 445 wins and 396 losses. First year Long Beach State athletic director a transplant from SDSU, Bobby Smitheran made the fire and hire. “I think we’re all guilty of being products of our environment,” Bobby Smitheran said. “The one that I just departed last year reached the national championship game. That was long term work and a process that took many years to achieve. There were baby steps and hard steps and commitments from the community and institution to achieve that. That’s how I’m viewing this next hire. Someone who wants to engage the community, represent Long Beach State University in a way that people get excited about, that recruits see a future in terms of their growth and development and that we’re going to position ourselves to compete for championships. It would be dishonest to say that doesn’t have an influence. I spent 15 years at San Diego State watching that program grow. There’s a lot of lessons that I learned that will mold how I approach this hire.” Chris Acker led West Los Angeles College as head coach and has also coached at Boise State and Hawaii as a key level assistant too. If Mr. Acker needs some assistance at Long Beach State I am available at a rate of $118,000 per year. Jason R. Aula (Photo credit: Daily 49er) LOS ANGELES, California — Former Washington State coach Kyle Smith upgraded to the Stanford position after the program finished second in the PAC-12 and made it's first appearance at the NCAA tournament since 2008. Dan Monson has spent the last 17 seasons at LBSU and the prior eight seasons at Minnesota.
At Long Beach State Dan Monson (275-273) won four coach of the year awards, made four NIT appearances, won four Big West Conference championships, and NCAA tournament March Madness appearances in 2012 and 2024. Dan Monson took Gonzaga dancing all the way to the Elite Eight at the 1999 NCAA tournament and Minnesota to the 2005 NCAA tournament holding a career record of 445 wins and 396 losses. The Washington State Cougars are moving to the West Coast Conference for the 2024-2025 season. Jason R. Aula
(Photo credit: Steven Georges | The Orange County Register)
LOS ANGELES, California — On March 24, 2024 Dan Monson came on Sports Central LA to discuss his departure from LBSU. After 17 seasons as head coach at Long Beach State Dan Monson was fired on Monday March 11 to appease left wing domestic terrorists along with Chicano/Chicana supremacists within the CSULB administration and it's students of which a considerable number are undocumented illegal immigrants and Democratic Party terrorists. The hypocritical and cryptic messaging deployed by Smitheran against former coach Monson is a form of racism, terrorism, and bigotry.
"The only thing about it is the timing,” Dan Monson said, “I could not resign that day I could not quit that day.” For Long Beach State athletic director Bobby Smitheran to pretend he does not know the danger he put coach Dan Monson in physically, legally, and as a human because of the dated action is cruel and unusual for one of Dan Monson's caliber. For the record, Smitheran hails from the most racist county in California, Riverside County. "Its been a roller coaster couple of weeks," said Dan Monson. The CSU system and LBSU should have shown loyalty for an ethical, moral, and professional coach and family man that chose to make men in 2007 instead of millions in the NBA not submission to Chicano/Chicana supremacy and radical left-wing terrorism within the CSULB administration. Jason R. Aula (Photo credit: Isaac Hale | Associated Press) LOS ANGELES, California — Arizona men's basketball lights up Long Beach State during second half 17-2 run en route to March Madness blowout 85-65 win in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Long Beach State was down 41 to 35 at the half but could have been tied or ahead by the same number of points with better luck at the rim and more hustle from starters. 15-seed Long Beach State (21-15) is not defined by a loss to 2-seed Arizona (26-8) in its's NCAA Tournament appearance. The loss does not erase the Long Beach State team's success this year, including a Big West tournament championship.
“It’s been a heck of a ride,” Dan Monson said. As LBSU's most winning coach Dan Monson (275-273) has won four coach of the year awards, three Big West championships, and a 2012 NCAA tournament appearance. Dan Monson also led Gonzaga to the 1999 NCAA tournament and Minnesota to the 2005 NCAA tournament and has a career record of 445 wins and 396 losses. Long Beach State was led by Aboubacar Traore's double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Off the bench Amari Stroud added 14 points and AJ George chipped in 12 points for LBSU. Arizona was led by the double-doubles of Caleb Love and Oumar Ballo. Kylan Boswell lead all scorers with 20 and Pelle Larsson chipped in 15 points for the Wildcats. Keshan Johnson added 13 points for Arizona having starting Wildcats in double figures. "If we’re the one that jump starts them to go win a national championship,” Dan Monson said, “I can always let him know that I helped ‘cause family helps each other.” The 2024 NCAA tournament appearance was the 10th in Long Beach State program history. Jason R. Aula (Photo credit: Associated Press photos) LOS ANGELES, California — Long Beach State had a considerable non-conference win against USC and Bronny James of the PAC-12 during late 2023. The Big West Conference referees have corruption issues, so a fairly officiated match is an opportunity welcomed by Long Beach State, which has suffered from referees fixing matches for pay to play and win for UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara in particular. There have been at least three NCAA tournaments Dan Monson has missed out on over 17 seasons with obvious referee match fixing at the Big West tournament most recently during 2022.
The 2022 Big West Championship match loss by a single point is a tough match result to relive for current team members. Jadon Jones said, “stay in the moment because the moment is never too big for you if you do that.” 49er Hoops reports, Dan Monson will not be retained by Long Beach State despite the NCAA tournament result this season. “I don’t have to answer anything I don’t want to because I’m working for free today,” said Dan Monson. Jason R. Aula (Photo credit: Rhonda Churchill | Associated Press) LOS ANGELES, California — Dan Monson hired Tommy Lloyd in 1998 at Gonzaga as a graduate assistant. “I’ve got a job. And my job is to lead the Arizona basketball program,” Tommy Lloyd said. “So that’s where 100% of my effort and energy is. And he has a job, even though he doesn’t maybe going forward there. But he’s going to coach again somewhere and I’m sure they’re going to use it as a rallying point for their program to see if they can play one more.”
No. 2 Seed in the West Region, Arizona (25-8) is led by Coach Lloyd whom's team lost their last match at the PAC-12 Tournament semifinal to Oregon 67-59. No. 15 Seed in the West Region, Long Beach State (21-14) will take on Arizona in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Thursday at 11 A.M. MST at Salt Lake City, Utah. Long Beach State University won the Big West Tournament and automatically qualified to dance for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. “I feel good. I feel good,” Lloyd said. “I think we’re well rested. We’re definitely healthier than we were last year. I think we’re ready to be in attack mode. We’re ready to have a good week of preparation, go out and play a good Long Beach State team and let it happen.” This past Monday after 17 years Coach Dan Monson was fired from his position but agreed to maintain his post through post season play. The Thursday appearance at the NCAA tournament will be Long Beach State and Coach Monson's second in 17 seasons together. Long Beach State is led by senior guard Marcus Tsohonis the 2023-24 All-Big West Honorable Mention. Tsohonis is averaging 17.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists over 35 games this season. Junior Lassina Traore has also been a key piece for Long Beach State University. The forward is averaging 12.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Transferring in from Saint Louis last year, Traore has recorded 15 double-doubles over Long Beach State’s past 35 games. UP NEXT: Long Beach State (21-14, Big West 10-10) faces Arizona (25-8, Pac-12 15-5) at the NCAA Tournament First Round on Thursday, March 21 at tip-off time of 11:00 a.m. MST at the Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. Live television coverage on TBS. Long Beach State beats UC Davis to win the Big West Tournament and earn an automatic NCAA bid3/17/2024 Jason R. Aula (Photo credit: Rhonda Churchill | Associated Press) LOS ANGELES, California — LBSU (21-14) beat UC Davis (20-13) 74-70 on Saturday night for the Big West tournament championship at the Dollar Loan Center Arena, in Henderson, Nevada. Long Beach State was down 27-32 at the end of the first half due to extremely poor shooting with Ty Johnson and Elijah Pepper leading the Aggies with 11 and 10 points each at halftime.
Ty Johnson led all scorers with 30 points, six rebounds, and four assists for the Aggies. Elijah Pepper finished with 21 points and nine rebounds for UC Davis. The Traores both nearly had double-doubles with Aboubacar scoring seven points, in addition to 13 rebounds, with six assists and Lassina leading Long Beach State scoring 25 points with nine boards. Also, Marcus Tsohonis led LBSU in scoring with 25 points. AJ George put up nine points with seven rebounds off the bench. The Big West Conference tournament championship win for Coach Dan Monson brings his running all-time CSULB record to 275-272 pending Selection Sunday and NCAA tournament match results. “I don’t think this is my last, I love coaching, I love teams, I need a new challenge it’s life, it’s onto the next chapter,” Dan Monson said, “We had an up and down year, but they came in here and they played for each other." The upcoming NCAA tournament appearance is the first since the 2011-2012 season for Coach Monson and Long Beach State. |
 Published by:CSULB Alumni Jason R. Aula & Staff Archives
April 2024
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