ANCHORAGE (Aug. 18) – The Alaska Anchorage men's basketball program has hired
Ashton Pomrehn as its top assistant coach, head coach
Rusty Osborne announced Monday.
A former Seawolf, Pomrehn returns to UAA after an impressive start to his collegiate coaching career, including stops at the NCAA Div. II, junior college and NAIA levels.
The Arcata, Calif., native spent the past two seasons at JC program Shasta College, helping the Knights to just their second playoff appearance in 15 years and the second-largest turnaround in the California JC ranks from 2023-24 to 2024-25. Pomrehn was key in the recruitment and development of three all-conference players and six of the top seven scorers on that squad.
At fellow NCAA Div. II West Region program Chico State from 2021-23, Pomrehn contributed to a Wildcat club that finished 22-5, reached No. 4 in the national rankings and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight his first season. In addition to working with All-American Malik Duffy and two other first-team All-CCAA selections, he also recruited and helped develop 2023 CCAA Freshman of the Year and all-league guard Jojo Murphy.
"I am thrilled to welcome Ashton back to UAA and Alaska," said Osborne, who begins his 22nd year as head coach and 35th year on the UAA bench this fall. "We had some good candidates for this position, including some with extensive experience as Div. I assistants and former head coaches. However, Ashton has paid his dues and worked his way up the ladder working for excellent and successful head coaches in the West Region. All his mentors raved about his work ethic, basketball IQ, and dedication to the student-athletes. I have known Steve Kinder for 37 years and have worked with Greg Clink on multiple committees – they are two of the best in the region over the last 20 years. In addition, I have known and respected his current head coach Kele Fitzhugh, a former Chico State assistant, for 35 years as well. I take their evaluations with a lot of confidence."
Pomrehn coached during the Covid-shortened 2020-21 campaign at NAIA program Simpson University in Redding, Calif., after starting his career as an assistant at Humboldt State (2018-19) and Chico State (2019-20). At Humboldt, he contributed to a squad that won the program's most games in six seasons, while in his first stop at Chico he helped the Wildcats to a 23-7 mark – the program's most regular-season victories since 1984.
As a player, Pomrehn spent his senior season of 2017-18 at Humboldt State (now known as Cal Poly Humboldt), where he averaged 5.9 points per game and led the Lumberjacks with 47 three-pointers. He played at UAA as a junior in 2016-17, contributing off the bench in every contest for a team that went 21-8 and finished GNAC runner-up. Pomrehn starred his first two collegiate seasons at Shasta College, and was an all-area performer during his prep career at McKinleyville High School.
"Although Ashton left UAA after his junior season, he and I have maintained contact and I have admired his work ethic over the years," Osborne added. "I was excited when he expressed a desire to return in this role. He not only brings terrific experience with basketball in the West Region and GNAC, but also a familiarity with Anchorage and Alaska. He is excellent at scouting and preparing for opponents, has developed a great grasp of various offensive and defensive systems, and will be outstanding working with our guys one-on-one in their skill development. I know he will mentor and help develop all our guys both on and off the court. In addition, he has developed a reputation as a tireless recruiter. Our program is going to benefit from Ashton's abilities."
Pomrehn graduated from Humboldt State in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and earned his master of science in coaching and exercise sciences from Concordia University Irvine in 2021.
