Austin Claunch (born November 17, 1989)
Current position: Assistant men’s basketball coach
Current team: Alabama Crimson Tide (Head coach: Nate Oats)
Current conference: Southeastern Conference (SEC)
Teams coached: Nicholls Colonels
Nicholls State record: 90-61 (.596)
Overall record: 90-61 (.596)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 1 (2022)
- Southland Regular Season Champion: 2 (2021, 2022)
Awards:
- Southland Coach of the Year: 1 (2021)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 2023-present | Alabama (asst) |
| 2018-2023 | Nicholls |
| 2016-2018 | Nicholls (asst) |
| 2015-2016 | Clemson (aast) |
| 2013-2015 | Clemson (grad. asst) |
| 2012-2013 | George Mason (DPD) |
Austin Claunch Facts
- Austin Claunch
- Born November 17, 1989
- Hometown: Cypress, Texas
- Alma Mater: Emory University (BA, 2012) / Clemson University (MA, 2015)
- Played at Strake Jesuit College Prep in Houston, serving as team captain for two years
- In four years at D-III Emory, Claunch was a three-time All-UAA selection and graduated as the school’s all-time assist leader
- Spent one year as Paul Hewitt‘s DPD at George Mason before becoming a graduate assistant under Brad Brownell at Clemson
- After finishing his master’s degree, Claunch became assistant video director at Clemson
- Hired by Richie Riley as a full-time assistant at Nicholls State in 2016
- Took over as the Colonels’ head coach two years later when Riley left for South Alabama
- Led the Colonels to back-to-back Southland titles in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons; went 90-61 overall in five seasons
- Left Nicholls in 2023 to take an assistant coach position on Nate Oats‘ staff at Alabama
Austin Claunch Coaching Tree
- Tevon Saddler (Nicholls)
