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.
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.
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