The search is complete. Vance Walberg was named the 20th head men’s
basketball coach at Fresno State on Saturday. Walberg, who is nationally known for innovating the dribble drive motion offense, has experience at every level — NBA, college, community college, and high school during his 40-plus years as a coach. “Vance Walberg has an impressive, winning record in our Valley and comes with deep community ties that will enhance our men’s basketball program and our student-athletes,” Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval said. “With his decades-long track record as an authority in the field, his passion for Fresno State, and his drive for excellence, Coach Walberg will take our men’s basketball program to new heights. I am very pleased that a Valley native will lead us to higher levels of greatness.” Said Walberg: “I am thrilled to embark on this journey with Fresno State as the new head men’s basketball coach. I am grateful to both Fresno State and President Jiménez-Sandoval for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity. I am committed to not only fostering a winning culture on the court but also to galvanizing the community around our program while supporting our student-athletes so they can thrive academically and athletically.” Walberg’s History in the Central Valley Walberg’s name is a familiar one in the Central Valley as he served two stints at Clovis West High School, where he coached until Saturday’s announcement. His first was for 22 years from 1990-2002. His overall record with the Golden Eagles was 559-104. While there, he earned conference coach of the year honors nine times, section coach of the year on six occasions, the
California and West Region (Section 7) Coach of the Year in 1999, and the Cal-Hi State Coach of the Year in 2001. But he faced controversy toward the end of his first tenure with Clovis West when the program had to forfeit all games over two years because of the use of an overage foreign player, Charlie Rodriguez. Related Story: Walberg’s Achievements at Fresno City College Walberg, 67, then spent four years at Fresno City College (2003-06) with an overall 133-11 record, including a 34-0 record in 2005 when he led the Rams to the California State Community College championship. It was just the third team in California community college history and the first in 35 years to go undefeated. His Rams teams won four straight Central Valley Conference titles, made four consecutive trips to the Northern California Playoffs, advanced to the state’s Final Four three times, and appeared in the title game in 2003 and 2005. He was twice named California Community College Coach of the Year (2003 and 2005) and the CVC Coach of the Year every season. Walberg’s Family Ties and NBA Experience His ties to the Valley are strong. His daughter, Heather Long, is the former girls basketball coach at Clovis North. Jaimie Rose Winder, his other daughter, is married to Jonathan Winder, the former Fresno State girls volleyball coach who is now the men’s volleyball head coach at Pepperdine. Walberg spent two seasons as the head coach at Pepperdine University (2006-08) going 14-35 with the Waves, and resigning midway through his second season there, citing “personal and family reasons.” He was an assistant at the University of Massachusetts (2008-11). In the NBA he served assistant stints with the Sacramento Kings from 2015-16, following time with the Philadelphia 76ers (2013-15) and Denver Nuggets (2012-13). He has established himself in the basketball community as an innovator known for an up-tempo, dribble-drive, motion offense, which he is credited for bringing to the sport. It has been used by coaches such as Kentucky’s John Calipari and Alabama’s Nate Oats. Walberg Replaces Hutson Vance replaces Justin Hutson, who stepped down as coach of Fresno State on March 14. Hutson had a 92–94 overall record — highlighted by two 23-victory seasons — and went 47-62 in the Mountain West conference. The college is still searching for a new athletic director.