LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head men's basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun announced on Thursday the hiring of Ben Asher as an assistant coach. Asher brings 14 years of collegiate coaching experience with him to the Aggies, including the last three seasons as an assistant at Youngstown State under Calhoun.
 
Asher was named one of the Rising Stars for Mid-Major Assistant Coaches in Division I Basketball in 2024 and one of the Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistant Coaches in 2022 and 2023 by Silver Waves Media. He was also named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches 30-Under-30 Team in 2020.
 
"I've known Ben forever. He has a relentless motor and a great ability to connect with players," said Calhoun. "He was a manager for us at West Virginia for our Final Four team and has worked at Rutgers and North Carolina State. He did a great job for us at Youngstown State and will work on the offensive side of the ball here at Utah State."
 
At Youngstown State, Asher helped guide the team to unprecedented success as the Penguins won a Horizon League-best 41 conference games and a league-high 65 games overall during his three seasons on staff. YSU also won 41 home games, including a Division I school record 14 home games, in each of its last two seasons. Furthermore, YSU participated in consecutive postseasons for the first time in school history as it played in the 2023 National Invitation Tournament and the 2022 Basketball Classic.  
 
"Coach Calhoun is one of the best basketball minds in all of college hoops, with a winning record at every level, and I am excited to get the chance to continue to learn from him on a daily basis as we work together at a program with great tradition like Utah State," said Asher.
 
During the 2023-24 campaign at Youngstown State, Asher helped the Penguins to a 22-10 record including a 14-6 Horizon League mark and a second-place finish. YSU averaged 81.2 points per game and allowed just 70.9, both of which ranked second in the conference. The Penguins also made 282 3-pointers to rank as the second-most in school history.
 
Asher also helped lead Youngstown State to its first regular-season conference title after guiding the Penguins to a 24-10 record and a 15-5 league mark en route to the Horizon League Championship in 2022-23. The 24 wins tied the program record for victories and the 15 Horizon League wins set the record for conference victories. YSU concluded its season with an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.
 
In 2021-22, Youngstown State's 19 wins were its most since 2000-01 and its 12 Horizon League wins were a school record. YSU also tied the then-Division I record for most home wins with 13 and secured the program's second postseason berth in three years with an appearance in the inaugural The Basketball Classic. The Penguins also won their second-ever postseason game with a 70-65 victory over Morgan State.
 
During his time at Youngstown State, Asher mentored eight players to all-Horizon League accolades, including four during the 2023-24 campaign.
 
Asher also spent five seasons at Rutgers (2016-21), including serving as the director of basketball operations and recruiting for two years. He also served three seasons as special assistant to the head coach with the Scarlet Knights. With Asher on staff, the Scarlet Knights achieved new heights during the 2020-21 campaign, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years.
 
Among Asher's many responsibilities were serving as liaison to the athletic department, including the areas of communications, RVision, marketing, creative, business operations and facilities management. He also played an integral role in the program's social media outreach and recruiting initiatives. The Scarlet Knights welcomed a four-recruit signing class in 2018 that included multiple four-star players for the first time since 2008.
 
Prior to Rutgers, Asher spent the 2015-16 season as the director of operations at Siena. That year, the Saints posted a 21-13 record and competed in the CBI postseason tournament.  He was instrumental in the day-to-day activities of the team, including travel, practices, meals, facility use, team camps and recruiting.
 
An Oyster Bay, New York native, Asher spent two seasons (2013-15) as a graduate assistant at North Carolina State under head coach Mark Gottfried. The Wolfpack advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2015, after reaching the ACC quarterfinal and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2014.
 
Prior to arriving in Raleigh, Asher worked as the head student manager at West Virginia, where he earned a Regents Bachelor of Arts degree in 2013. Under head coach Bob Huggins, the Mountaineers won the Big East Tournament Championship and advanced to the Final Four in 2010, while also earning NCAA Tournament berths in 2011 and 2012.
 
Asher married the former Danielle Capozzoli in summer 2018. The couple has two sons, Max and Luca.
 
Season ticket deposits for the 2024-25 season are available now. Save your seat today by clicking on the following link https://utahstateaggies.evenue.net/events/MBST
 
For more information on Utah State's men's basketball program, follow the Aggies on Facebook at usumensbasketball, on Twitter at @usubasketball and on Instagram at @usubasketball. Fans can also watch USU men's basketball highlights by visiting youtube.com/utahstateathletics.