Dan Monson, who led Long Beach State to the NCAA Tournament as a lame-duck coach, is the new men’s basketball coach at Eastern Washington, returning to his roots. Monson and Long Beach officials agreed to a “mutual separation” in early March, in the midst of a five-game losing streak to end the regular season. But when the team won the Big West tournament, Monson and his team clinched the conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. No. 2 seed Arizona beat No. 15 Long Beach State in the first round of West Region play, 85-65. Monson, 62, is 445-396 in 27 seasons as a Division I head coach. A Washington native, he lived in Cheney — the Eastern Washington area — when his father was there high school basketball coach. The younger Monson began his coaching career in 1986 as an assistant at UAB for two seasons, then served in the same role at Gonzaga from 1988 to 1997. He spent two seasons as head coach of the Bulldogs ( 1997-99) before moving to Minnesota (1999-2006) then to Long Beach State (2007-24). His teams have appeared in 13 postseason games, including four in the NCAA Tournament. Under Monson, Gonzaga made its first appearance in the Elite Eight in 1999. When he left for Minnesota, Gonzaga named current coach Mark Few to replace him. Athletic director Tim Collins said Monson was the right fit for the Eagles. “Eastern Washington University represents a large part of Spokane County and our region. Throughout the search for our next men’s basketball coach, it was important to us to identify a head coach who represented that region,” Collins said. “In talking with Dan, it became clear that this region means as much to him as the East does to her.” Monson replaces David Riley, who left to become head coach at Washington State after a 21-11 season with the Eagles. –Field level media
Dan Monson, who led Long Beach State to the NCAA Tournament as a lame-duck coach, is the new men’s basketball coach at Eastern Washington, returning to his roots. Monson and Long Beach officials agreed to a “mutual separation” in early March, in the midst of a five-game losing streak to end the regular season. But when the team won the Big West tournament, Monson and his team clinched the conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. No. 2 seed Arizona beat No. 15 Long Beach State in the first round of West Region play, 85-65. Monson, 62, is 445-396 in 27 seasons as a Division I head coach. A Washington native, he lived in Cheney — the Eastern Washington area — when his father was there high school basketball coach. The younger Monson began his coaching career in 1986 as an assistant at UAB for two seasons, then served in the same role at Gonzaga from 1988 to 1997. He spent two seasons as head coach of the Bulldogs ( 1997-99) before moving to Minnesota (1999-2006) then to Long Beach State (2007-24). His teams have appeared in 13 postseason games, including four in the NCAA Tournament. Under Monson, Gonzaga made its first appearance in the Elite Eight in 1999. When he left for Minnesota, Gonzaga named current coach Mark Few to replace him. Athletic director Tim Collins said Monson was the right fit for the Eagles. “Eastern Washington University represents a large part of Spokane County and our region. Throughout the search for our next men’s basketball coach, it was important to us to identify a head coach who represented that region,” Collins said. “In talking with Dan, it became clear that this region means as much to him as the East does to her.” Monson replaces David Riley, who left to become head coach at Washington State after a 21-11 season with the Eagles. –Field level media