POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State men's basketball and Head Coach,
Ryan Looney have finalized their coaching staff after announcing the hiring of Stu Engen to an Assistant Coach position for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Assistant Coach, Evan Eustachy, departs from Pocatello after just one season with the Bengals, joining Salt Lake Community College's coaching staff as an Assistant Coach.
Stu Engen joins the Bengals after serving as Head Coach and Athletic Director at North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, North Dakota since 2012, putting together a 323-60 record while at NDSCS. Engen has been coaching collegiate basketball for the last 38 years and has compiled a 629-288 overall record as a head coach at the NCAA Division II, III, NJCAA Division I, and III levels.
"He is one on the finest basketball coaches I have been around" says Looney. "I first met Coach Engen close to 25 years ago. I was fortunate to work for him at both the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Minnesota State University Moorhead. Our players will benefit greatly from his experience. We are blessed to have Stu Engen as a Bengal."
Engen received his bachelor's degree from Augsburg University in 1986 while also being a two-time letterwinner on their men's basketball team, playing from 1984-1986. While there, Engen would lead his team in scoring and rebounding, en route being named a two-time All-MIAC team selection. Following AU, Engen would go on to earn his master's degree at the University of South Dakota.
Coach Engen began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Augsburg University from 1986-1988 followed by another assistant coaching position at the University of South Dakota from 1988-1990. Engen would get his first Head Coaching role in 1990 where he would take the helm at Western Wisconsin Technical College till 1992. After that Engen would serve as HC at Upper Iowa University from 1992-2000, followed by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he worked as Head Coach from 2000-2002. From 2002-2010 Coach Engen took over at Minnesota State University Moorhead and since 2012 he has been serving as Head Coach and AD at the North Dakota State College of Science.
Engen has been named an 11x conference Coach of the Year, an 8x Region 13 Coach of the Year, and won Coach of the Year for District 11 in 2016. Engen was inducted into the Augsburg University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Upper Iowa University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
"I am looking forward to getting started", said Engen. "I've had a lot of admiration for coach Looney for a long time. It's no secret to me why he's been successful. I believe I still have plenty to learn, but hopefully also something to offer."
The Bengals have begun their summer workouts, as they return just five players and two coaches they look to jumpstart their team chemistry in the gym and on the court.
