Let me begin by saying that, as always, I am grateful for your belief in and support of Long Beach State Athletics. I am proud of the work that we do every day to provide an outstanding experience for our student-athletes and it is the honor of a lifetime to lead this department.
I am reaching out today before the news is released to the general public to inform you of a change in leadership with our Men’s Basketball program. After 17 years in service to the University and hundreds of student-athletes, Head Coach Dan Monson agrees it is time to step away.
On behalf of Long Beach State University, I thank Coach Monson for his leadership. He has been a dedicated coach and he has led our program with great pride and class. He leaves us as the all-time leader in career victories at The Beach, has coached our team to several post-season appearances, and has himself earned four well-deserved Big West Coach of the Year honors. Dan, Darci, and the entire Monson family have been tremendous representatives of Beach Basketball and we wish them the best in all future endeavors.
This transition offers us an opportunity for reflection and intentionality. I have retained a search firm who will guide us through the search process as we re-envision the future of our men’s basketball program. I am committed to finding the right person for the job – one that can harness the incredible energy of this community, build meaningful connections with players, recruits, and our entire support base, and elevate this program to the next level. I’m excited for the future as the men’s basketball head coaching position at Long Beach State is a highly desirable job and I am confident we will have a strong pool of candidates.
Thank you for your investment in Long Beach State Men’s Basketball and your commitment to Beach Athletics. This journey is made better by having you on our team.
More to come!
Go Beach!
Bobby Smitheran
Executive Director of Athletics
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