Mississippi State Hires Former New Mexico State Coach Chris Jans

Mississippi State got its top target.

The SEC school announced Sunday it had hired former New Mexico State coach Chris Jans to replace the fired Ben Howland.

Jans, 52, went 122-32 with three NCAA Tournament trips in five seasons at New Mexico State.

“The Mississippi State Family is thrilled to welcome Chris Jans as our next head coach,” said AD John Cohen. “Throughout our thorough research, what stood out about Coach Jans was his culture of accountability, hard-working mentality, emphasis on player development, and vision for the future. Coach Jans is a proven leader and winner, who is considered by many to be one of the top coaches in the game. He is a tireless recruiter, brilliant Xs and Os tactician, and his overall resume speaks for itself. In 12 years as a head coach at the Division I and JUCO levels, he won 20 or more games in all but one season. He helped build Wichita State into a powerhouse in the mid-2010s, where they averaged 30 wins each of his last four seasons, including a Final Four appearance and a 35-0 start in his final season. We’re pleased to welcome him, his wife Sheri, his son Nick and daughter Maddie to the Bulldog Family.”

Jans guided New Mexico State to a 12-5 upset of Connecticut during the NCAA Tournament Buffalo. He led the Aggies to the program’s first win in the NCAA Tournament since 1993. In the Round of 32, the Aggies held No. 4 seed Arkansas to season lows in both points (53) and field-goal percentage (.275).

He is a three-time WAC Coach of the Year, and won 25-plus games during each of his first three seasons at New Mexico State. He is one of eight active NCAA Division I head coaches to accomplish the feat. The list is headed by Gonzaga’s Mark Few, Kansas’ Bill Self and Kentucky’s John Calipari.

Jans will be one of several new coaches in the SEC. Mike White moved to Georgia from Florida, which in turn hired San Francisco’s Todd Golden, while Missouri, LSU and South Carolina all have openings. Missouri is reportedly close to hiring Dennis Gates of Cleveland State.