Report: Alabama to hire Nicholls State head coach Austin Claunch as assistant

Alabama coach Nate Oats is on the verge of hiring a replacement for one of his departed assistant coaches, with Sports Illustrated reporting he will tap Nicholls State head coach Austin Claunch to serve as an assistant.

Oats had lost all three of his assistant coaches this offseason after a very successful 2022-23 campaign.

Of the coaches who departed, Charlie Henry left for Georgia Southern, Bryan Jodgson left for Arkansas State and Antoine Pettway left for Kennesaw State.

Claunch will provide a veteran presence on the coaching staff due to his head coaching experience, while also providing a lot of youthful energy.

In five seasons at Nicholls State, Claunch had compiled a 90-61 overall record, twice finishing atop the Southland Conference. Nicholls State went 58-28 in Southland Conference play during Austin Claunch’s tenure.

Claunch was named the 2020-21 Southland Conference Coach of the Year.

Prior to beginning his coaching career, Claunch was a four-year starter and a two-time captain as a player at Emory from 2008-12. He ranks first in Emory history in career assists, assists per game and minutes played. His final three seasons all marked the top three single-season assist totals in school history.

Claunch began his coaching career in 2012, serving as an assistant coach at George Mason.

Following a one-year stint there, Claunch took a job working as a graduate manager at Clemson, holding that post for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. He was then promoted to an assistant coach with the Tigers for the 2015-16 year.

After that, Claunch took an assistant coaching position at Nicholls, spending two years in that post before taking the head coaching gig.

While at Nicholls State, Claunch served as the youngest head coach in Division I Men’s Basketball for three consecutive seasons from 2018-21.

He was named to ESPN’s 40 under 40 list in 2020.