POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State men's basketball assistant coach CJ Edwards has been named to Silver Waves Media's 2026 Most Impactful/Influential Mid-Major Assistant Coaches list, recognizing him among the top assistant coaches in NCAA Division I men's basketball.
The recognition comes as part of Silver Waves Media's eighth annual coaching honors, which highlight some of the most influential and impactful assistant coaches across the mid-major basketball landscape. Honorees were selected following consultation with a panel of industry professionals, recognizing coaches for their contributions to their respective programs and the broader college basketball community.
"It's an honor to be recognized by Silver Waves Media," Edwards said. "It means a lot to have the work you put into this profession acknowledged, but a lot of the credit goes to Coach Ryan Looney for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to be part of the Idaho State basketball program."
"Coach Looney is someone I watched and learned from as a young coach, so having the opportunity to now work alongside him and compete together on game days is something I'm extremely grateful for," Edwards continued. "There's still a lot of work to be done, and I'm looking forward to continuing to learn, grow, and make an impact."
Now entering his second season on head coach Ryan Looney's staff, Edwards has played an instrumental role in Idaho State's offensive development, player development, recruiting efforts, and game preparation since arriving in Pocatello ahead of the 2025-26 season.
During his first season with the Bengals, Edwards helped develop one of the program's most efficient offensive systems under Looney while serving as the lead development coach for Gus Etchison, who became Idaho State's first-ever recipient of the Lou Henson National Player of the Week award.
In addition to his work developing players, Edwards has been heavily involved in the Bengals' offensive strategy, overseeing special situations such as baseline out-of-bounds plays, late-game execution, and after-timeout sets. He has also played a significant role in roster evaluation, recruiting, and transfer portal strategy.
Prior to joining the Bengals, Edwards served as the head men's basketball coach at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon, where he guided the Titans to a 20-8 record during the 2024-25 season and consecutive Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) Tournament appearances. Under his leadership, Lane consistently ranked among the conference's top five programs in scoring, three-point shooting percentage, and assists per game.
Edwards previously served as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Corban University, helping guide the Warriors to the 2020 Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship. During his tenure, he helped recruit and develop multiple all-conference selections while overseeing scouting, analytics integration, and game-planning strategies.
Silver Waves Media's annual coaching lists have established a reputation for identifying rising coaching talent, with numerous previous honorees advancing to NCAA Division I head coaching positions.
Edwards joins a distinguished group of assistant coaches from across the country recognized in the 2026 edition, further highlighting the experience and talent represented on Idaho State's men's basketball coaching staff.
