Ed Schilling hired as Pepperdine head coach
Grand Canyon assistant and former Wright State head coach Ed Schilling has been announced as the new head coach at Pepperdine. Schilling has been at GCU for the last four seasons, helping the Lopes to three NCAA Tournaments and two WAC titles.
“Throughout his decorated tenure at GCU and in the years prior, Coach Schilling has demonstrated the highest levels of leadership in player development and preparedness for the rigors of collegiate and professional basketball,” Pepperdine president Jim Gash said. “His extensive coaching experience throughout his career has exemplified the visionary leadership, strategic thinking, adaptability, and emotional intelligence required to navigate the world of college athletics. I look forward to a new era of Pepperdine basketball under Coach Schilling’s leadership.”
This is the first collegiate head coaching opportunity for Schilling, 58, since 2003, but he has made a significant mark on college basketball in the two decades since. In addition to his time at GCU, Schilling has been an assistant at Indiana (2017-19) and UCLA (2013-17) and spent four years as the head coach at Park Tudor School in Indianapolis. He is also a member of the John Calipari coaching tree, having worked under Cal at UMass, Memphis and with the New Jersey Nets.
“I am thrilled and appreciative to start this new chapter as the head coach for the men’s basketball team at Pepperdine University,” Schilling said. “The university’s prestigious academic reputation, beautiful campus and the passionate vision for basketball success from President Gash, Dr. Tim Perrin and Tanner Gardner make this opportunity a remarkable blessing.”
Pepperdine parted ways with head coach Lorenzo Romar last month after a six-year stint (his second) with the program. The Waves have not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2002 and have only finished above .500 five times since then (most recently in 2020-21).
credit to Pepperdine Athletics for the image
