By Rachel Shelley Freelancer
Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Brady Bergeson will be leaving Western after four years as head coach of the men’s basketball program. Bergeson heads to Regis University in Colorado, another NCAA Division II team, as the new men’s head basketball coach.
Bergeson led the Wolves to season and program highs this past season, finishing with a record of 69-45 (.605) through his career. He also leaves with the seventh most wins as a coach in school history.
Ten All-GNAC players, one GNAC Player of the Year, one GNAC Newcomer of the Year and the first NCAA basketball All-American in Western men’s basketball program history and
have played under Bergeson.
He also led the 2014-15 season team to Western’s first-ever GNAC regular season title and the first tip to the NCAA Division II National Tournament as part of the West Regional.
During the same season, Bergeson broke the 20-win season mark, the first time since the 1996-97 season as well as the program’s first-ever NCAA Division II national ranking. Western ranked as high as No. 15 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Poll.
“The national ranking is a great honor. It’s something that is in the history books and our kids and fans can be proud of. Additionally, we are proud that we have been able to give national recognition to our university,” Bergeson said in an interview Feb. 4.
Prior to coaching at Western, Bergeson earned his master’s degree in negotiation, conflict resolution and peace-building from Cal State Dominguez Hills in 2007 after earning an undergraduate degree in psychology with honors from Chapman in 2000.
At Chapman, Bergeson played point guard where he finished his four years with a 66-34 record and was the Student- Athlete of the Year and team captain during his senior year.
