Warner Pacific Selects New Men's Basketball Coach
PORTLAND, Ore. - Warner Pacific College has selected Jared Valentine as head coach of the men’s Basketball program following a national search. He succeeds his father, Bart Valentine, who retired in March after coaching the Knights for 12 seasons.
“It’s an incredible honor to build upon what my dad and all of the current and former players have done for this program,” said Valentine. “I see coaching as a way to develop people, not just athletes. Having the opportunity to come alongside our players in their process of personal and academic development is deeply gratifying.”
While this will be Valentine’s first time as a head coach, he has a long history with Warner Pacific basketball. He played for his father for two seasons (1999-01), and led the Knights to the NCCAA National Tournament in 2000. Despite suffering a season-ending knee injury his senior year, Valentine still ranks fifth all-time in assists at the college with 371.
After graduating in 2001, Valentine joined the Warner Pacific coaching staff. Since then, the Knights have enjoyed seven 20-win seasons and an overall record of 182 wins and 110 losses.
The Knights compete in the Cascade Conference, one of the toughest NAIA Division II conferences in the nation, with the likes of two-time national champion Oregon Institute of Technology and Eastern Oregon University. The Knights were conference champions in 2006, co-champions in 2007, and conference tournament champions in 2007 and 2008. The team has also made six consecutive trips the NAIA Division II national tournament.
“Jared’s experience, knowledge of our program, and passion for seeing student athletes succeed on and off the court made him the right choice,” said WPC athletic director Ryan Kaiser. “For Jared, it’s about mentoring players first, but he’s also as competitive as they come. His teams will be prepared every night.”
Valentine says Warner Pacific’s urban campus is a major plus when it comes to recruiting. There is a host of talent in the Portland area, and players also are attracted to the college’s close-knit community.
“We definitely have a specific niche,” he said. “The urban student tends to like our campus environment. It’s been a good place to get talented athletes who want an education.”
In addition to his coaching duties, Valentine has worked in financial aid and student affairs at Warner Pacific since 2003. He will continue to serve in his current role as the Interim Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.
“Jared understands our mission as an urban institution that is ‘in the city and for the city,’” said Warner Pacific president Andrea P. Cook, Ph.D. “Our basketball program is an extension of that vision. Our basketball program is in good hands.”