Elgas named to D-II Up-And-Coming Coaches list

HSU Athletics
David Salley, Director of Athletic Communications

ARKADELPHIA — After leading a five-year turnaround of the men’s basketball program at Henderson State, Reddies’ head coach Jimmy Elgas was named one of NCAA DII and NAIA’s 15 Up-And-Coming coaches by Silver Waves Media.

The Up-And-Coming 15, which was comprised of only coaches who had been on the job five years or less, as well as the list of 50 impactful NCAA DII and NAIA head coaches, was determined after months of research and consultation with athletic directors, presidents, search firms and numerous influencers in college basketball.

Elgas, who took over at Henderson in 2015, saw his vision for the program come to fruition this past season when he led the Reddies to 23 wins and the 2020 Great American Conference Tournament title — the first championship for the school in men’s basketball in 17 years.

After winning nine games in his first season in Arkadelphia, Elgas’s teams have steadily improved since, winning 16 contests in 2016-17 and 19 in 2018-19 before breaking through this spring. He was one of just three coaches from the GAC to be honored on the Up-And-Coming 15 or Impactful 50.

NCAA DII/NAIA IMPACTFUL 50 & UP-AND-COMING 15