Eric Olen named New Mexico coach

Eric Olen is leaving UC San Diego and will become the head basketball coach at New Mexico, the school announced Sunday. ESPN reported Olen agreed to a five-year contract to replace Richard Pitino, who resigned Wednesday to accept the same job at Xavier. "I am honored to be the next head coach of New Mexico men's basketball," Olen said in a university release. "I want to thank president (Garnett) Stokes, (director of athletics) Fernando Lovo, and the UNM leadership team for this opportunity. This is one of the most special programs in college basketball, and my family and I are thrilled to be a part of Lobo Nation! I can't wait to get to work and write the next great chapter in New Mexico basketball history." Olen, 44, has been the head coach of the Tritons since Oct. 1, 2013, promoted following nine seasons as an assistant coach. He oversaw the program's transition to Division I, leading the Tritons to the NCAA Tournament this season in their first year of postseason eligibility at that level. After 12 seasons, Olen is now the all-time winningest coach in UC San Diego history with a 240-119 record. The Tritons finished the season with a 30-5 overall record and were 18-2 in the Big West, winning regular season and tournament titles. He was named the Big West Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. UC San Diego was the No. 12 seed in the South Region and narrowly lost to No. 5 Michigan, 68-65, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. "We're thrilled to welcome Eric Olen as the new head coach of Lobo men's basketball," Lovo said. "Eric is a proven winner with an incredible track record. Beyond the accolades and success on the court, he is a values-driven leader who puts student-athletes first. We're confident he'll bring tremendous energy and vision to our program." As a Division I member the past five seasons, the Tritons are 81-63 under Olen. In Division II, he had a 159-56 record and won three California Collegiate Athletic Association regular-season titles and four conference tournament crowns in seven seasons. New Mexico finished the 2024-25 season with a 27-8 record and a regular-season Mountain West championship. In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 10th-seeded New Mexico upset Marquette 75-66 before losing 71-63 to No. 2 seed Michigan State in the second round of play in the South Region. --Field Level Media