Nate Oats announces hire of newest Alabama assistant coach
By Keith Farner
Published:
Nate Oats has had to re-stock his coaching staff this offseason, and Alabama has announced the hire of the newest assistant coach.
Oats hired the head coach at Nicholls State, Austin Claunch. Claunch spent the last 7 seasons at Nicholls State and the last 5 seasons as head coach. He won 90 games and led the Colonels to back-to-back Southland regular season titles and was named the 2021 Southland Conference Coach of the Year.
Claunch holds degrees from Emory University and Clemson.
“Austin is one of the hardest working guys in the business,” Oats said. “His work as a head coach at Nicholls was unbelievable with one of the lowest budgets in the country. He has won 2 out of the last 3 regular season championships in the Southland Conference and that is a credit to his hard work and his energy. Austin has a bright young mind and will help out our program in many ways. Not only is he a tireless recruiter and will help us with game planning but he is also a great person who will develop great relationships with our players and have a positive impact in our community.”
Austin Claunch Bio
- 2020-21 Southland Conference Coach of the Year
- Back-to-back Southland Regular Season Champions (2020-21 and 2021-22)
- Served as the youngest head coach in Division I Men’s basketball for three seasons (2018-21)
- The second youngest head coach during the 2022-23 season
- Named to ESPN 40 Under 40 in 2020
- Coaching Experience:
- 2018-23: Nicholls State (Head Coach)
- 2016-18: Nicholls State (Assistant Coach)
- 2015-16: Clemson (Assistant Coach)
- 2013-15: Clemson (Graduate Manager)
- 2012-13: George Mason (Assistant Coach)
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
