Eric Olen took over as UC San Diego’s head basketball coach in 2013. A few years later the Tritons began their transition from Division II to Division I. At the time UCSD Athletics Director Earl Edwards said he believed he had the right coaches in place to make his teams compete quickly.

New Mexico has hired UC San Diego’s Eric Olen as its next basketball coach. Olen will replace Richard Pitino, who left to become Xavier’s coach on Tuesday.

Eric Olen has been hired as the new men's basketball coach at New Mexico, leaving UC San Diego after five seasons. He takes over for Richard Pitino, who left Albuquerque to take the opening at Xavier last week. The school officially announced Olen's hiring on Sunday afternoon.