BOISE, Idaho — One of the most well-known basketball minds in the Gem State was officially introduced as the head coach of the Carroll College men's hoops program on Tuesday. After five years at the College of Southern Idaho, Ryan Lundgren is headed to Helena, Montana.
Lundgren is the Saints' 28th head coach in program history, set to replace Kurt Paulson, who resigned earlier this month after five seasons at Carroll College.
Lundgren, a Boise High School and Boise State University graduate, has an impressive resume and experience creating successful programs.
He most recently served as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for the Golden Eagles, a title Lundgren earned in 2019. This season, CSI went 29-0 and made its third-straight appearance in the NJCAA National Tournament.
The Golden Eagles finished the regular season as the No. 1 team in the NJCAA rankings. Lundgren helped recruit four NJCAA All-Americans to Twin Falls during his five-year tenure.
"I am pleased to welcome Ryan and Lexi Lundgren and their daughter London to Carroll and the Helena community." Carroll College Athletic Director Charlie Gross said. "Ryan has a track record of being part of highly competitive basketball programs, where he has demonstrated his commitment to ensuring success on the court, achievement in the classroom, and engagement in the community. He is known to be a tireless recruiter who can connect with people easily. A shining attribute of Ryan is his emphasis on building life-long relationships with the student-athletes he coaches."
As many Idaho prep sports fans recall, Lundgren served as the Vallivue High School boys basketball head coach prior to his time at the junior college level. The Falcons had a runner-up finish at the 4A state tournament during the 2016-2017 season, and won the 4A Southern Idaho Conference (SIC) regular-season title in 2018-2019.
After graduating from Boise State, Lundgren joined the Broncos' men's basketball program as the director of player development, a role he was in from 2011 to 2015.
Lundgren was apart of Boise State's 2013 and 2015 NCAA Tournament teams. He also helped lead the Broncos to their first top-25 ranking during the 2014-2015 season.
"I am thrilled to be joining the Carroll family as the 28th Head Basketball Coach in program history." Lundgren said. "The strong tradition of excellence at Carroll dates back many years and it is truly a blessing to be entrusted with the opportunity to carry on that storied tradition. Fans and community members can expect an exciting brand of basketball on the court, and young men of high character that the Helena community can be proud of, off the court. My family and I can't wait to get started on this new adventure. Go Saints!"
The Saints are coming off a 13-14 season. Carroll College won seven of its 15 Frontier Conference contests, before falling to Rocky Mountain College in the first round of the post-season tournament.
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