Leonard Perry promoted to head coach at Pacific

Associate head coach Leonard Perry has been promoted to head coach at Pacific, the school announced on Wednesday. Perry replaces Damon Stoudamire, who decided to leave the school after five seasons to become an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics.

“I am truly excited to announce the hiring of Leonard Perry as our new men’s basketball coach,” AD Janet D. Lucas said in the release. “He brings a passion and enthusiasm to the game that is contagious. His involvement the last five years was influential in helping Damon Stoudamire move this program in the right direction. Damon was an outstanding coach and I sincerely appreciate his efforts to rebuild our men’s basketball program. I am confident that Leonard will ensure our student-athletes will be the best they can be moving forward.”

This is the second head coaching opportunity for Leonard, who has been at Pacific since Stoudamire was hired in 2016. He spent five seasons as the head coach at alma mater Idaho, going 48-97 from 2001-06. Among other stops are stints as an assistant at Iowa State, Colorado State, Southern Miss and five years in the Indiana Pacers organization.

“I’m proud, thankful, humbled and appreciative of being named the new men’s basketball coach for University of the Pacific,” said Perry. “Coach Stoudamire has done an amazing job building the foundation of this program, and it will be the responsibility of our staff and players to continue that progress. I greatly appreciate the support of the administration, and look forward to working with Janet Lucas to make this basketball program the best it can be.”

credit to Pacific Athletics for the image