ENMU's Owen moving on to position at Lenoir-Rhyne

Eastern New Mexico University men’s basketball coach Brent Owen has accepted the head coaching job at Lenoir-Rhyne University, an NCAA Division II program in Hickory, N.C.

In a release from ENMU, Owen said the decision comes with “the opportunity to get my children closer to their grandparents and cousins and to put my wife, Ashley, in a better position for her career.”

Owen was hired by ENMU prior to the 2020-21 season, which was later canceled due to COVID-19. After a 7-18 record in 2021-22, the Hounds won 17 games the following year before posting a 22-9 overall mark this year, including a Lone Star Conference tournament championship for the first time in 31 years and the school’s first NCAA Division II regional berth in 20 campaigns.

He finished with a 46-39 overall ledger at the school. This year’s win total was the most at ENMU since 1992-93, which was also the only previous time the Hounds won the conference tournament.

“The past four years have been life-changing for me,” Owen said in a release from ENMU. “I’ve changed as a person, and I’ve grown so much stronger in my faith since arriving in Portales.

“I will truly be forever grateful that Eastern New Mexico University gave me an opportunity to be a head coach when no one else would.”

Lenoir-Rhyne vice president for athletics Kim Pate announced the move on Friday, with Owen becoming the 20th coach in the history of the program. The Bears, who went 15-14 this season, have not won a South Atlantic Conference championship since 2008-09.

“When we embarked on this search, we were looking for a proven leader and coach would inspire an exciting and bold vision for the future of our men’s basketball program,” Pate said in a release from Lenoir-Rhyne. “Brent is a relentless worker who cares deeply for his players and has an incredible acumen for basketball.”

Prior to coming to ENMU, Owen had served as an assistant for six seasons at Division II Southern Indiana, his alma mater. He was a volunteer and graduate assistant at USI between 2009 and 2012, then became the head coach at Tell City (Ind.) H.S. from 2012-14.

In 2018-19, he helped the Screaming Eagles win the Division II Midwest Regional and reach the national semifinals.

“I’m thrilled to officially welcome Brent, his wife Ashley and their boys, Kruze and Benham, to the Bear family,” Lenoir-Rhyne president Fred Whitt said. “His proven track record of success, both on the court and in developing student-athletes, makes him the perfect fit to lead our basketball program into the future.”

The ENMU release said information on finding Owen’s replacement “will be shared at a later time.”

“Brent did so much for ENMU athletics, and I’m grateful for all he accomplished,” ENMU interim athletic director Michael Molina said. “He not only elevated the men’s basketball program, but he made a true difference at our university and in the community.”