New Mexico State announced Sunday the hiring of Greg Heiar as the Aggies’ next head men’s basketball coach. Heiar spent the last season as the head coach at Northwest Florida State College, where we went 31-5 and won a NCJAA National Championship.
“While the task of replacing Chris Jans as the leader of our basketball program is a tall one, I am excited that we have selected Greg Heiar to serve as our new head coach,” AD Mario Moccia said in a statement. “Greg’s coaching background is aligned with this program’s blueprint of success which has resulted in multiple wins over Power Five programs and our biggest rivals in addition to multiple WAC titles, WAC tournament titles and NCAA Tournament success.”
Prior to taking the NWFS job in 2021, Heiar spent one season at East Tennessee State and three at LSU on Will Wade‘s staff, the last one as associate head coach. He also, like his predecessor Chris Jans, was an assistant coach under Gregg Marshall at Wichita State. Earlier in his career, the Iowa-native was the head coach at Chipola JC in Florida (2004-09).
“I am grateful to Chancellor Arvizu and Mario Moccia for entrusting me as the leader of one of the most respected college basketball programs in the nation,” sad Heiar. “NM State has a rich tradition of basketball success dating back over a century and I am humbled by the opportunity to continue that success. I have known Chris Jans for almost 30 years and hope to build upon what he achieved at NM State over the last half-decade. My family and I can’t wait to call Las Cruces home.”
The Aggies have won six WAC titles in the last eight years and been to ten NCAA Tournaments since the turn of the century, including this past season. Heiar will inherit one of the best and most consistent mid-major programs in the country as it transitions into Conference USA starting with the 2022-23 season.
credit to New Mexico State Athletics for the image
