Wilson Named as Grizzlies’ Head Men’s Basketball Coach

Chris Day
ASC Sports Information

Louis Wilson, most recently the associate head coach at NCAA Division I California State University-Northridge, has been named as Adams State College’s new head men’s basketball coach.

Grizzly director of athletics Larry Mortensen made the announcement Friday afternoon.

Wilson, who just completed his fourth year on the Matador staff after other successful coaching tenures at Idaho State University, Southern Utah University and at Anchorage, Alaska’s East High School will begin his duties with the Grizzlies next week.

“I’m excited to get going and to quickly develop a championship culture throughout the program,” Wilson said.

“It is our goal to defend at a high level while playing fast, smart and together on the offensive end,” he continued.

“I was very impressed with Louis.  He has all the qualities and ability to take Adams State basketball where it needs to be and we are happy welcome him and his family to Adams State and our community,” Mortensen said.

Wilson was promoted to the associate head coaching position at CSUN in the summer of 2009 after helping guide the Matadors to a 2008-09 Big West Conference regular season, the 2009 Big West Tournament championship and an ensuing NCAA Tournament berth.  The squad also won a share of the Big West regular season crown in 2007-08, Wilson’s second year with head coach Bobby Braswell.

While at Cal State-Northridge, Wilson was primarily responsible for the development of the squad’s perimeter players while coordinating the program’s defensive efforts.  He also served as the program’s recruiting coordinator in 2007-08, a position he succeed in with the signing of three All-Big West players and the inking of the conference’s leading rebounder (Tremaine Townsend) and assist man (Josh Jenkins) as well as the conference’s Sixth Man of the Year (Deon Tresvant).

Wilson also served as the program’s academic coordinator helping to guide Terrell Jones to Big West Male Scholar Athlete of the Year honors in 2007.

Prior to his stint with the Matadors, Wilson was an assistant coach at Idaho State for eight seasons (1998-2006) where he oversaw the development of the Bengal perimeter players, eleven of whom earned All-Big Sky Conference honors.  He also served as the Bengals’ recruiting coordinator.

Wilson also had a successful 6-year coaching stint at Southern Utah where he helped the Thunderbirds to 1994-95 and 1995-96 America West Conference Championship and 1993-94 and 1994-95 NCAA statistical championships for 3-point shooting.

Before entering the collegiate coaching ranks, Wilson served as the assistant coach at East High School in Anchorage, Alaska, where he shined during his playing days.

Working with legendary head coach Chuck White during his 1988-92 tenure, the team went a combined 81-22 winning a pair of Alaska state titles, aided by several Division I players including former Duke University and NBA star Trajan Langdon.

It was during that time that Wilson, born in New York City before moving to Alaska at age 11, also founded the Alaska Basketball Development Program, which teaches basketball skills in rural Alaska and in Anchorage through basketball camps, leagues and tournaments.  The program has grown to be one of the largest in the state and is now run by his mother Dolores Waldron.

A winner of two state titles, three most inspirational player awards and all-state honors as a senior during his East High School playing days, Wilson took his basketball and leadership talents to Trenton (Mo.) Junior College (know know as North Central Missouri College) where he helped the team to a combined 41-19 record and a pair of 20-win seasons.  He was named as the team’s most inspirational player as a freshman and then served as the Pirates’ team captain as a sophomore in 1985-86.  He was also the campus’ student body president.

Wilson then transferred to William Jewell (Mo.) College and helped the Cardinals to a 61-7 2-year record.  As a senior in 1987-88, he helped lead the team to a 34-2 record and a trip to the NAIA National Tournament quarterfinals.  That squad was inducted into the William Jewell Hall of Fame in 2005.

Wilson, who graduated from William Jewell with a degree in public relations in 1992, and his wife Andrea have four children ranging in age from 22 to 1.  Their son Jacques recently completed his senior basketball at Eastern Oregon University while younger son, Kaden, is 13.  Daughters Keawe and Kalea are 3 and 1, respectively.