Men’s Basketball Hires Assistant Coach - Santa Clara

Posted: Apr 23, 2018

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara men's basketball head coach Herb Sendek announced on Monday that the Broncos have hired Scott Garson as an assistant coach.

Garson spent the last five seasons as head coach at the College of Idaho where led the Yotes to a 129-42 record, three Cascade Collegiate Conference championships, three league tournament titles and five NAIA tournament appearances, including a run to the 2018 national semifinals.

Prior to his stint at the Caldwell, Idaho, school, Garson was on Ben Howland's staff at UCLA for nine seasons, as well as spending time at Utah and Pepperdine.

"I'm excited to join the Santa Clara basketball family, in particularly for the opportunity to work for someone like Coach Sendek whose track record is right there with some of the great coaches in the college game," Garson said. "I've had the fortune of working for some wonderful people, including the opportunity to work at a terrific place like The College of Idaho. It took a special opportunity for me to leave a head coaching position like this. I couldn't be more excited to help the Broncos as Coach Sendek continues to move the program forward. I'm excited to assist in all aspects of that."

Garson has led the Yotes to both the CCC regular-season and tournament titles in 2014, 2015 and 2018. He became the first College of Idaho coach to win back-to-back league crowns since the 1950s. His 2014-15 team posted a 30-6 record, which was then the second-most single-season victories in the school's 105-year men's basketball program history. The 2017-18 squad finished 30-7.

"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Garson, his wife, Amy, and their young son, Sidney, to our Santa Clara family," Sendek said. "Coach Garson is successful, experienced, and universally respected in the coaching profession. Coach was instrumental in helping lead UCLA to multiple Final Fours and last season directed the College of Idaho to the NAIA Final Four. Most certainly, Coach Garson will have an impact on every aspect of the Bronco program."

Garson served as UCLA's video coordinator his first two seasons (2004-06) before being elevated to assistant coach.

During Garson's tenure at UCLA, the Bruins amassed a record of 222-90, including Pac-10 titles in 2006, 2007 and 2008, a Pac-12 title in 2013, and league tournament titles in 2006 and 2008. The Bruins qualified for six NCAA tournaments and made trips to the Final Four in 2006, 2007 and 2008 – reaching the 2006 national championship game.

Garson spent five seasons at the University of Utah under hall-of-fame coach and mentor, Rick Majerus. Garson served as a graduate assistant, video coordinator and, in his final year, assistant coach for Majerus.

Garson, who was on the Pepperdine staff in 1998-99, played one year of basketball and baseball at Washington University in St. Louis, before transferring to UC-Santa Barbara to finish his undergraduate studies.

Garson replaces Julius Hodge who spent the last two seasons on Sendek's staff.