The Long Beach State Beach men’s basketball team is dancing into March Madness, and it is being led by a coach who was informed last week that the university had decided to let him go after 17 seasons at the helm of the program.
A week ago, the Beach were mired in a five-game losing streak to end the regular season as their Cinderella hopes seemed to be circling the drain. So it was not a major shock when the university announced on Monday that it would be parting ways with longtime head coach Dan Monson at the conclusion of the season.
As almost an afterthought in that announcement, Long Beach State added that Monson and director of athletics Bobby Smitheran mutually agreed that Monson would remain as coach to see the Beach through their postseason.
Then, Long Beach State caught fire at the Big West Conference Tournament in Henderson, Nevada. The Beach defeated UC Riverside, UC Irvine and UC Davis in consecutive days to claim the conference championship Saturday and punch a ticket to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
After winning the Big West Championship, Monson said that this run wouldn’t be the end of his coaching career.
“I don’t think this is my last,” Monson told game broadcaster ESPN. “I love coaching, I love teams. I need a new challenge. It’s life, on to the next chapter.”
This will be the Beach’s first trip to the big dance since 2012, and the second appearance in Monson’s 17-year tenure with the school.
Long Beach State will learn its March Madness fate Sunday evening when the NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed.
