LSU Eunice has hired Jaime Gonzales as the fifth Women’s Basketball head coach in school history, athletic director Jeff Willis announced.
The hire is pending approval by the LSU Board of Supervisors.
“We could not be happier to have Jaime Gonzales join our family as the new Women’s Basketball Head Coach,” LSUE athletic director Jeff Willis said. “His proven track record at a number of levels of basketball made him stand out, and his integrity and character are traits we desired for the position.”
Gonzales comes to Eunice with ten seasons of coaching experience at the high school, junior college and Division I levels.
“I want to give God all the glory for this opportunity as my family and I are very excited to join the LSUE family” LSU Eunice Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jaime Gonzales said. “We are thankful to join an athletic department that is committed to excellence, and become a part of a community that we have heard so many good things about.”
The Hempstead, Texas native was an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Sam Houston State University during the 2017-18 season, one of three stops with the Bearkats for Gonzales. In addition to his one season as a full-time assistant, Gonzales was a graduate assistant (2013-14) and student assistant (2006-07) in Huntsville, Texas.
“Coach Gonzales is first class in every form and fashion, both on and off the court,” Kansas assistant coach Larry Tidwell said. “Coach G is highly respected in the D-1 coaching circles…is a relentless recruiter, an outstanding coach and will graduate his student-athletes.”
“Jaime Gonzales is a man of integrity and will have the players best interest and work diligently to put them in a position to succeed,” Southern Miss Head Women’s Basketball Coach Joye Lee McNelis added. “He is a family man whose tireless work ethic and knowledge will allow LSUE to complete at the highest level.”
Gonzales brings a wealth of junior college experience, with four stints at some of the most prestigious programs in the country. As an assistant at Odessa College in 2016-17, Gonzales played a critical role in assembling a team that went 29-2 and finished in the Elite Eight of the NJCAA National Tournament. His recruiting class that year at Odessa went on to have eight student-athletes receive NCAA Division I offers.
Other stops in the NJCAA include Hill College, Arizona Western College and Neosho County Community College. Gonzales has also had stints in the high school ranks throughout Texas including coaching boys’ teams.
Gonzales inherits a LSUE program primed to take the next step after back-to-back LCCAC Conference Titles, going undefeated in conference play both those seasons. Former head coach Amanda Clemons left in May to become an assistant at McNeese State University.
“One of our goals is to get women’s basketball to the next level – winning the Region Championship and getting into the National Tournament,” Gonzales said. “I also want to see these young women graduate, empowering them to be productive members of society whether that is at a four-year institution or the workforce.”
An eight year United States Armed Forces veteran, Gonzales served as a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Crewmember in the U.S. Army. After service, Gonzales attended Sam Houston State University where he graduated in 2007 with a B.S. in Kinesiology.
He and his wife Mercedes have four children: Haley, Alexavier, Arissa and Ajai.
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