Nicholls State University

ACCOLADES
- 2020-21 Southland Conference Coach of the Year
- Back-to-back Southland Regular Season Champions (2020-21, 2021-22)
- Led Colonels to 21-win season in 2019-20 after being voted to finish 11th in Southland preseason poll
- Served as youngest head coach in Division I Men's Basketball for three seasons (2018-21)
- Currently the second youngest head coach
- Named to ESPN 40 Under 40 in 2020

MILESTONE VICTORIES AT NICHOLLS
- 1st win -- Nov. 6, 2018 -- Mississippi College (86-54)
- 1st Division I win -- Nov. 13, 2018 -- at Idaho (83-80)
- 1st Southland win -- Jan. 2, 2019 -- at Northwestern State (78-72)
- 1st 100-point game -- Feb. 23, 2019 -- Central Arkansas (100-57)
- 1st win vs. Power 5 Conference -- Nov. 9, 2019 -- at Pitt (75-70)
- 1st SLC Tournament win -- March 12, 2021 -- vs. Northwestern State (88-76)
- 50th career win -- Feb. 27, 2021 -- at New Orleans (105-101, OT)
- 50th Southland win -- Jan. 14, 2023 -- Northwestern State (77-63)

Austin Claunch joined the Nicholls men's basketball coaching staff in June 2016 and was named the Colonels' 12th head coach on March 29, 2018.

Across five seasons at the helm, the Houston native has accumulated a 90-61 overall record along with a 58-28 mark in Southland Conference play. Claunch led the Colonels from a ninth-place finish in his first year to being tied for second in the next season, before claiming the Southland Conference Regular Season title in back-to-back seasons in 2020-21 and '21-22.

In only his third season, Nicholls took the SLC title outright after going 14-2 in league play and 18-7 overall. Claunch's squad reeled off two eight-game winning streaks in the championship campaign, with the last win coming in the semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament. In addition to having three All-Southland honorees, highlighted by first-team selection and newcomer of the year Ty Gordon, Claunch received his own honor as the league named him Southland Coach of the Year. 

The Colonels then posted another record year in 2021-22, winning a second-straight Southland outright regular season title and making their first ever appearance in the National Invitation Tournament. Despite losing nearly 70 percent of the scoring from the prior year's championship squad, Claunch led Nicholls to another 21-win campaign -- the second in the last three seasons. The Red & Gray posted an 11-3 record in the Southland, capped with a winner-take-all victory over rival New Orleans for a second consecutive outright title. Nicholls was led by Ty Gordon, who became just the second Colonel in school history to be named Southland Conference Player of the Year. 

Notably, the Red & Gray exceeded expectations during the 2019-20 campaign, upending the league's preseason 11th-place projection as the team secured 20-plus victories for just the fourth time in program history. Claunch & Co. kicked off the year with some flair, nearly knocking off Illinois in the season opener before upsetting Pitt on the road just days later; additionally, the Colonels challenged both No. 23 LSU (10-point loss) and mid-major power Rhode Island (five-point loss) in their own houses, leading each on numerous occasions throughout the contests.

Claunch spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as an assistant, contributing heavily to the Colonels historic 2017-18 campaign that included the most wins (21) since 1995 and best Southland Conference record (15-3) since 1998. 

At Nicholls as an assistant, Claunch was primarily responsible for guard development, specifically point guards, working daily with seniors Roddy Peters (SLC Newcomer of the Year, First Team), Jahvaughn Powell (All-SLC Defensive Team), Lafayette Rutledge (Single-season 3-point record holder) and Tevon Saddler (All-SLC Second Team). He was also the key recruiter for Kevin Johnson and Ryghe Lyons, who both started over 15 games as freshmen.

Claunch's impact at Nicholls was immediately felt as it was his scout that helped the Colonels knock off Boston College 79-73 on Nov. 11, 2016. He worked closely with head coach Richie Riley on offensive and defensive schemes and game plans. Claunch created, orchestrated and conducted all basketball camps for the Colonels over the past two years.

Claunch came to Nicholls after spending a season as Assistant Video Services Director for Clemson men’s basketball. Claunch spent three seasons with the Tigers overall, having previously served as a graduate manager from 2013-15. Prior to his time with Clemson, Claunch spent the 2012-13 season as the Director of Player Development for George Mason University.
 
Claunch was part of a Clemson staff that saw the Tigers improve by 10 wins over their previous season, compiling a 23-13 overall record. Clemson advanced to the NIT semifinals for the first time since 2007 and won 10 ACC games as well.

He helped Jaron Blossomgame to First Team All-ACC honors and the ACC's Most Improved Player award. The 6-7 forward raised his points-per-game average from 13.1 to 18.7 and his 3-point field goal percentage from 28% to 45% during his junior season. Claunch also helped K.J. McDaniels to a First Team All-ACC junior season. The 6-6 forward was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and declared early for the 2014 NBA Draft.

At George Mason, Claunch worked under former Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Hewitt. He assisted in all areas of individual workouts and practice, in addition to helping with film breakdown and exchange, scouting reports, academic scheduling and updating the team's recruiting database.

Claunch has assisted with various summer camps over the past several years. Each summer from 2007 to 2011, he worked with former NBA player and longtime Head Coach John Lucas at his camps in Houston, Texas. He also interned in the summer of 2010 with Joe Abunassar and Impact Basketball. From 2008-10, Claunch assisted his father's 15U and 16U Adidas Houston Select Basketball Club teams.

Claunch was a four-year starter and two-time captain at Emory University on the Division III level from 2008-12. He ranks first in Emory history in career assists (580), assists per game (5.8) and minutes played (3,132). Claunch is also second in free throw percentage (.877). He was also a three-time All-Conference First Team player at Emory, and a member of the University Athletic Association's 25th Anniversary Team. Claunch set the school's three best single-season assist totals over each of his final three seasons.

He played high school basketball at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston, Texas, and was a three-year starter and two-time team captain. Claunch was also a two-time all-district selection and led Strake Jesuit to the 2008 district crown as a senior. He was a two-time recipient of the Strake's Kenneth McGregor Award, based on his leadership and dedication on and off the court.

The Houston native earned his undergraduate degree in political science, with a minor in religion, from Emory in 2012. Claunch obtained a master's degree in human resource development from Clemson in August 2015.

THE CLAUNCH FILE
 
HOMETOWN: Houston, Texas
EDUCATION: Emory, 2012 (bachelor's); Clemson, 2015 (master's)
 
COLLEGIATE COACHING EXPERIENCE
2018-Present: Nicholls (Head Coach)
2016-18: Nicholls (Assistant Coach)
2015-16: Clemson (Assistant Coach)
2013-15: Clemson (Graduate Manager)
2012-13: George Mason University (Assistant Coach)

COACHING RECORD AT NICHOLLS

Year	Overall	Win%	SLC	Win%	Place
2018-19	14-17	.452	7-11	.389	t-9th
2019-20	21-10	.677	15-5	.750	t-2nd
2020-21	18-7	.720	14-2	.875	1st
2021-22	21-12	.636	11-3	.786	1st
2022-23	16-15	.516	11-7	.611	4th
Total	90-61	.596	58-28	.674