Jessie Evans

Jessie Evans (born October 24, 1950)

Teams coached: Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns, San Francisco Dons
Lousiana-Lafayette record: 118-80 (.596) **
San Francisco record: 45-57 (.441)
Overall record: 163-137 (.543) **

Career Accomplishments:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

2012-2014 Southeast Missouri State (asst)
2004-2007 San Francisco
1997-2004 Louisiana-Lafayette
1988-1997 Arizona (asst)
1986-1988 Texas (asst)
1984-1986 Wyoming (asst)
1982-1984 San Diego State (asst)
1976-1981 Minnesota (asst)

Jessie Evans Facts

  • Jessie Evans
  • Born October 24, 1950
  • Hometown: Lebanon, Tennessee
  • Alma Mater: Eastern Michigan University (BA, 1972 & MA, 1980)
  • Born in Tennessee and raised in Michigan, Evans graduated from Pontiac Central HS (MI)
  • Played at Eastern Michigan – during its NAIA and NCAA D-II era – for four seasons under head coach Jim Dutcher
    • Was part of the 1971 Eagles’ team that finished Runner-Up in the NAIA Tournament
  • Started out as a player/coach with the Flint Pros of the CBA, then spent two years as head coach at Flint Northwestern HS (MI)
  • Hired by Dutcher to be an assistant coach at Minnesota, working with the Gophers for five seasons
  • Spent two years each as an assistant at San Diego State (under Smokey Gaines), Wyoming (under Jim Brandenburg) and Texas (under Bob Weltlich)
  • Joined Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson‘s staff at Arizona in 1988, becoming a key recruiter for the Wildcats program that would go on to win the NCAA National Championship in 1997 (Evans’ last season there)
    • Recruited and coached a number of future NBA players, including Mike Bibby, Jason Terry, Damon Stoudamire and Sean Elliott
  • Hired as the head coach at Louisiana-Lafayette in 1997 and led the Ragin’ Cajuns for the next seven seasons
  • Evans left Louisiana for San Francisco in 2004, coaching the Dons for three and a half seasons
    • After going 17-14 and reaching the NIT in year one, USF finished below .500 in two-straight seasons
    • Evans was fired 12 games into the 2007-08 season (4-8 record) and was replaced by future Hall-of-Famer Eddie Sutton
  • After several years away, Evans returned to the college game in 2012 and spent two seasons on Dickey Nutt‘s staff at SE Missouri State

Jessie Evans Coaching Tree

 

** Listed records and accomplishments for this coach do not include wins or appearances later vacated by the NCAA