Fresno State has hired Ryan McCarthy as its next women’s basketball coach.
McCarthy, who comes to Fresno State from Alaska, will be the 12th coach in program history.
The big picture: Fresno State’s new coach joins the program after a very successful tenure at the University of Alaska Anchorage, which was one of the top Division II programs in the country.
- McCarthy led Alaska Anchorage for 13 seasons and leaves with an overall record of 309-67.
- He is a six-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year honoree.
- Alaska Anchorage also reached the NCAA National Title Game in 2016 under McCarthy.
Zoom in: Along with his coaching career, McCarthy played for college basketball for Northwest Nazarene University, where he was a four-year starter and captained the team for three years.
- After college, McCarthy played professionally for Tus Bramsche in Germany in 2006-2007.
- McCarthy also played for the Central Oregon Hotshots in the International Basketball League in 2006.
What they’re saying: “I am incredibly grateful to join the Fresno State family and serve as your women’s basketball head coach,” McCarthy said. “The direction the University is headed is very exciting, and the Valley is a place that my family and I are excited to become a part of.”
- Fresno State Athletic Director Garrett Classy said McCarthy is a winner whose track record speaks out for itself, adding that what stood out with the new coach was his vision, energy and relentless style of play.
- “His ‘Mayhem’ system is going to bring a level of excitement and intensity that the Red Wave will absolutely love,” Klassy said. “Ryan is hungry to compete at the highest level, and he’s ready to build something special here at Fresno State.”
- Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval added, “I’m confident that Coach McCarthy will soon become part of our Valley community and Red Wave! His proven track record of leadership, dedication to his players, and success both on and off the court speaks volumes. Ryan’s commitment to student-athlete development and his passion for the game reflect our university’s core values; we are fully confident that his vision and experience will usher in a new era of excellence for our program.”
Zoom out: Fresno State went ahead with McCarthy instead of looking at some local coaches to take over the program after former coach Jaime White retired last month.
- Former women’s coach Adrian Wiggins, who has been coaching the boys basketball team at Clovis East High School since 2013, applied for the job.
- Another popular name in the community was Clovis West High School girls basketball coach Craig Campbell, who has led the Golden Eagles to unprecedented success over his two decades in charge of the program. But Campbell did not meet the requirement of having five years of college coaching experience to apply for the job.
