Gonzaga fills assistant coaching position by hiring Florida State assistant R-Jay Barsh

Gonzaga moved quickly to fill an opening on its men’s basketball coaching staff, hiring Florida State assistant R-Jay Barsh, a Pacific Northwest native with coast-to-coast connections.

Barsh replaces Roger Powell Jr., a GU assistant for four seasons who was recently hired as Valparaiso’s head coach. Barsh and Powell are close friends.

Barsh, a Tacoma native, was at Florida State for one season after spending the previous three years at Boise State with head coach Leon Rice, a Gonzaga assistant under coach Mark Few for 11 seasons before landing the BSU job in 2010.

“R-Jay is another great addition to the program,” Few said in a school release. “He’s a real positive upbeat man of faith. He has a lot of experience all over the country and has been a head coach.

“He’s from the Northwest, worked in the Northwest, and has worked at the highest level of college basketball. He’s going to be great for our program.”

Boise State averaged 22 wins and played in one NCAA Tournament and one NIT in Barsh’s three seasons. The 2022 Broncos became the fifth team in Mountain West Conference history to capture the regular-season and conference tournament titles in the same season.

Boise State and Gonzaga would have squared off in Portland in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, but the Broncos lost their opener to Memphis 64-53 before top-seeded GU defeated Georgia State 93-72.

Barsh was the head coach at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, for seven seasons prior to his time at BSU. He led the NAIA Division II program to its first three national tournament appearances. Barsh guided Southeastern to the NAIA D-II Tournament final four in his second season.

“I believe it’s important to have mentors in your life and I am thankful for Carl Howell, Leon Rice, Leonard Hamilton and Fred Crowell, these four men have been integral parts of my coaching and life journey,” said Barsh, who has more than 15 years of coaching experience. “They have all prepared me for the unique and special opportunity I’m walking into. With purpose, passion, and responsibility, I look forward to bringing my joy of life and winning to the Gonzaga family. It feels good to be home.”

Barsh spent four years as head coach at Tacoma Community College, leading the team to three West Region titles and the 2012 NWAACC championship. He began his coaching career at Puget Sound from 2005-07 before spending one season coaching at Tacoma’s Lincoln High.

Barsh played two seasons at Tacoma Community College, helping the team win the 2002 NWAACC championship, before finishing his career at University of Puget Sound.

Barsh and his wife Christy have two sons, Carson and Greyson.