Meet assistant coach Adam Jacobsen
Adam Jacobsen wasn’t about to leave the University of Pacific for any ordinary job. Perhaps that makes the University of Hawai’i extraordinary.
After 19 seasons at UOP (five as a player; 14 as an assistant/associate coach), Jacobsen left Stockton, Calif., to become an assistant coach under new Hawai’i head coach Eran Ganot. Jacobsen has been on the job for less than a month, but he already realizes it was an opportunity he could not refuse.
“I wouldn’t have left Pacific for just any place, but I wanted to leave for a special place with someone that I knew very well and trusted in,” Jacobsen said. “I feel with Coach Ganot and the University of Hawai’i that this was a great move for my career and also for my family.”
Jacobsen only had about a week to acclimate with the returning players. Final examinations were completed last week, and most of the players returned to their respective hometowns this week.
“Having had a chance to work with them for a week, I’m very optimistic that I can be of help and that our program is going to be good,” he said. “We obviously want to add the right pieces to where we have really good depth at every position.”
One of Jacobsen’s many tasks will be to help add more pieces. He was the recruiting coordinator at UOP, and is confident that he can find the right fits for the Hawai’i roster.
“I grew up in California and have been in California for a long time; I have recruited internationally as well, so I have a pretty broad spectrum that way, and even across the country through junior college and high school,” he said. “I’ve been in this business for 14 years at the Division I level of it, so I do have a lot of experience of recruiting different student-athletes.”
Until this week, Jacobsen was the only assistant coach officially on staff under Ganot. Norm Parrish started as an assistant coach this week, and one more assistant spot remains to be filled.
Ganot (Saint Mary’s) and Jacobsen (UOP) were both associate coaches in the West Coast Conference last season, so they were already familiar with each other’s style through scouting reports and recruiting battles.
Jacobsen said: “Having a chance to compete against each other in the league the last few years, but even before that being out on the recruiting trail together and in our conversations of talking and getting to know each other … the biggest thing is just sharing similar values of how you want to run a program, what kind of players that you believe in, and so I really believe strongly in him and real excited about working with him every day.”
Jacobsen also made previous trips to Hawai’i while he was coaching at UOP, so he is somewhat familiar with the Stan Sheriff Center, the solid fan base in Hawai’i … and the natural beauty of the island.
“I love going in the ocean, and bodysurfing and surfing, so I look forward to doing that during my down time,” he said.
Coach Jacobsen, yes, add the Right Fit guys, get UH MBB to compete for championships and go Post Season every year, that opportunity allows .
Interesting, what Bigs, or shooters, you can get his season late.
Mahalo for video interviews Dayton, as always, we All want to see MBB team continue this winning season streak continue for another 5 years !
UHF
🙂
sorry, typo.., keyboard, even though strike right letters, wrong word, or whatever appears, might have to use note, or word, and copy paste comments..
Go Bows !
UHF.
🙂
Great article Dayton.
Coach Ganot and Coach Jacobsen – bring us in a couple of more recruits. In particular one more BIG to battle on the boards. Work hard to bring all of our players from this year back. You folks do your part and as fans we will do our part. We will fill up the SSC, cheer our team on to victory, be behind the team all the way, and even go to lengths to support the team on the road at tournaments.
Folks – We need to support our Coaches Choice and provide for them so when the boyz return in July they will have their device to build stronger and better shooters
https://www.crowdrise.com/MensBasketball
Go Bows!
Upon your initial hiring, had been very impressed with your bio, experience,accomplishments…
This interview really like being with you in person.
Has shown me how humble, kind, peasant, confident and happy you truly are!
UH MBB is very fortunate to have such a perfect-fit coach for the program;
Am sure that the association going to be a very long & successful one.
For coach / recruiter Jacobsen and others, the cost to compete for UH is going up with the cost of attendance stipends in some form to be added to the existing scholarships for basketball players and other programs. How much of the reduced increase in tuition rates will be allocated to the UH athletic department ?
” Beginning Aug. 1 NCAA members may, for the first time, pay athletes the COA stipends intended to cover costs such as transportation, school supplies, cellphone, laundry and miscellaneous expenses. Full scholarships currently cover tuition, room, board, books and mandatory fees.” ( SA, May 22)
New asst coach – Chris Acker. Happy uhf1 and others ?
Looks like we’ll be concentrating a lot of our recruiting efforts in California and Australia with all of the assistants having strong ties all over California.
island man, thanks for the info I just read a little about him. Liked that he was once here at Chaminade university.
I wonder if there was something negative regarding Carey as he also had a great resume and was already here.
Diversity advocates have to be happy to some extent, at least.
Ganot wants his own staff working for him. Understandable. Clean break and fresh start.
I know people hate going off topic but I hope chris acker can provide the inner city LA recruits.
You got my vote for the Associate Head-coach!
BigFan…yes…wish Senque had chance…he was good recruiter.
well, on positive side, I did state that Eran’s last hire would be afro american, the diversity and chaminade connection..not biased..hawaii mixed population, so is team , now if only Xi Jiang was qualified as admin manager!!
yes Eran did good , diverse team , diverse experienced staff.
go bows!!
Now I am getting excited for summer hoops!!
Welcome coach Jacobsen and coach Ack!!
yes…help team be better shooters..
🙂
UHF