LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head men's basketball coach Ben Jacobson announced the addition of Gameli Ahelegbe (GAH-mel-e AH-hel-egg-buh) to the team's staff as an assistant coach on Tuesday.
Ahelegbe follows Jacobson to Logan from Northern Iowa, where he spent the past four seasons (2022-26) as an assistant coach. During his time there, the Panthers improved their record each year and had three seasons with 19-plus wins. UNI qualified for the 2026 NCAA Tournament after going 23-13 overall and winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Ahelegbe helped guide five players to all-conference accolades while at UNI.
Prior to joining Jacobson's staff at Northern Iowa, Ahelegbe spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach at St. Thomas, following seven years (2014-21) at South Dakota. There, he served as an assistant under former Utah State head coach Craig Smith for four seasons, before remaining on staff in the same role under coach Todd Lee. Ahelegbe helped coach the Coyotes to a Summit League championship in 2016-17, followed by a 26-9 campaign in 2017-18, the team's most wins in its Division I era, and second-most overall.
Ahelegbe served as an assistant coach at North Dakota from 2011-14, where he was part of a pair of Great West Conference tournament titles with the Fighting Hawks in 2011 and 2012. Before that, he was an assistant coach for a season at Concordia (MN) in 2010-11 and at his alma mater of Minnesota State-Mankato in 2009-10.
As a player, Ahelegbe began his career at Neosho County CC in Kansas, before playing his final two seasons at Minnesota State-Mankato where his team won 42 combined games during his time there and made an NCAA Division II Tournament appearance. He then embarked on a professional career in the ABA with the Toledo Ice.
Ahelegbe earned his bachelor's degree in education from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2007, then earned a master's degree in athletics & activities administration from St. Thomas University in 2010.
Ahelegbe and his wife, Syreeta, have four children: Aniah, Azalyn, Areilla and Amawuli.
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