Former Cal Point Guard Shantay Legans Lands New Job as Portland's Coach
UPDATED
Two days after his Eastern Washington team gave Kansas a serious battle in the NCAA tournament, Shantay Legans has been hired as the new coach at Portland in the West Coast Conference.
The Oregonian was first to report the news and said the university was expected to make an official announcement as early as Monday.
Legans the former Cal point guard, replaces Terry Porter, who was fired Feb. 5.
Legans, 39, assembled a four-year record of 75-49 at EWU, including 53-20 in the Big Sky Conference. The Eagles won the regular-season Big Sky the past two seasons but did not get the chance to compete in the conference tournament in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Legans spent the previous eight seasons as an assistant at the Cheney, Washington school.
Here's Legans' statement through the Portland athletic department after the school made the news official on Monday afternoon:
"My family and I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity at the University of Portland. Through the process, I had a chance to get to know Scott, Jason and Father Mark, as well as members of the Board of Regents, and get a feel for their vision for the future of the UP men's basketball program.
Not only did our philosophies and values align, but I could feel the university's support and commitment to winning in every conversation. That made my family and I feel very comfortable, and it became very clear to us how special a place Portland is, both the university and the community as a whole. This place has massive potential, and I am so incredibly honored and humbled to have been chosen to lead the Pilots into the next chapter. We are going to win here, and I can't wait to get to Portland and get to work!"
Legans will be formally introduced on Tuesday.
The new assignment likely comes with a substantial pay raise for Legans, who was earning just $130,000 at EWU, according to a Big Sky coaching salary survey by the Billings (MT) Gazette.
But Portland is not an easy job. The Pilots have had just one winning season the past 10 years, and have not finished above .500 in the West Coast Conference since 2010.
None of the program's past nine coaches has achieved a .500 record.
Eastern played local rival Gonzaga a year ago, losing 112-77. As coach at Portland, Legans will face the powerhouse Zags at least twice a year. Not to mention BYU and Saint Mary's.
Porter, a popular local icon in Portland following a successful playing career with the Portland Trail Blazers, was 43-103 in five seasons, including 7-72 in conference play.
The Pilots’ most recent trip to the NCAA tournament was in 1996 when they lost 92-58 to Villanova in the first round. Portland’s only other trip to the NCAAs was in 1959, losing 57-56 to DePaul.
Legans’ 14th-seeded EWU earned admiration for a competitive performance Saturday in a 93-84 loss to third-seeded Kansas in just the third-ever NCAA tournament appearance by the program.
Legans was a three-year starter at Cal, and in 2002, he averaged 8.1 points and 3.8 assists on a 23-9 team that finished second in the Pac-10 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
He transferred to Fresno State to play his senior season.
Cover photo of Shantay Legans by Matt Stone, USA Today
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
