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Alabama assistant Austin Claunch expected to be hired as UTSA head coach, per report

1918632_10206777287683070_1367905321192383146_nby: Charlie Potter03/17/24Charlie_Potter
Alabama assistant Austin Claunch
Austin Claunch (Courtesy of Alabama Athletics)

Alabama men’s basketball assistant coach Austin Claunch is reportedly set to be hired as the head coach at The University of Texas at San Antonio, according to Dan Campbell’s.

Claunch joined Nate Oats last offseason and was set to have a new contract considered by the UA System Board of Trustees compensation committee on Monday, March 18. But now, per multiple reports, Claunch is the top target in UTSA’s search for a new head basketball coach.

Claunch, 34, arrived at Alabama from Nicholls State, where he spent eight seasons as an assistant and head coach. He was the youngest head coach in Division I men’s basketball from 2018-21. He led the Colonels to back-to-back regular-season championships from 2020-22 and was named the Southland Conference Coach of the Year in 2020-21. 

Claunch came to Nicholls State after spending a year as an assistant video services director at Clemson. Claunch spent three overall seasons with the Tigers, having previously served as a graduate manager from 2013-15. Before his time at Clemson, Claunch worked as the director of player development for George Mason University for the 2012-13 season.

This season at Alabama, Claunch began the season working on the offensive side of the ball, but Oats made a switch before SEC play. Claunch and Preston Murphy – along with Oats – split up the defense, while Ryan Pannone and Adam Bauman focused on the offense.

Claunch will be the fourth Alabama assistant coach to land a head coaching job in the last two years. Last season, Charlie Henry (Georgia Southern), Bryan Hodgson (Arkansas State) and Antoine Pettway (Kennesaw State) all earned chances to coach their own programs.

He is expected to remain with Alabama during its upcoming NCAA Tournament run.

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