UTSA named Alabama assistant coach Austin Claunch as the new head coach of the men’s basketball team. Replacing former eight-year coach Steve Henson, Claunch will look to improve the Roadrunner program, as the last three seasons have consisted of losing records. Although Claunch is helping Alabama make a deep NCAA tournament run, the new coach has continued to voice his excitement for the upcoming off-season.
Sitting down for a media introduction, the Texas native spoke glowingly of his hometown and his eagerness to get in the gym with his new players.
“Genuinely a dream come true,” Claunch said. “I’ve been all over the southwest parts of Texas and it feels like a full circle moment to come home and coach here in San Antonio.”
As an assistant coach for Alabama, Claunch has played a major role in the Crimson Tide’s success. He has helped elevate the university to a 21-11 record and a berth in the NCAA tournament.
Though hired while being an assistant, Claunch is no stranger to coaching, as he served as the head coach at Nicholls for five seasons. Claunch helped lead Nicholls to two straight conference championships in 2021 and 2022 and put together multiple winning seasons. His ability to coach and develop talent has not been overlooked, as ESPN touted him as a member of their 40 under 40 coaching list in 2020. Extremely experienced and decorated, Claunch is set to immediately impact the Roadrunner program. Despite his accolades and accomplishments, the new UTSA coach has remained incredibly humble and eager to get to work.
“There’s a ton of potential and talent at this university,” Claunch remarked. “I think we can be really good for a long time, but I don’t think it will take a long time to be really good.”
The hiring makes Claunch the seventh men’s basketball coach in program history. His addition will undoubtedly improve the team, as his plethora of experience makes him more than qualified for the head position. While the team may not experience a drastic improvement overnight, its newfound potential is seemingly limitless. Fans of the program and the university should be extremely excited about the hiring of the new head coach.
