Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Ryan Cooper has been hired as San Jose State men’s basketball assistant coach and Trent Miyagishima as director of men’s basketball operations. Head coach Jean Prioleau made the announcement Thursday.
“I’m really excited about finalizing my staff,” Prioleau said. “Coach Cooper has done a lot of good work for us. He was kept over from the last staff. From the time I came in last year, he was on top of everything from an administrative point of view. He had everything lined up in terms of travel and study hall and things like that, and just had a good feel and good pulse of the team. I leaned on him a lot last year and now he is taking a step up. I think he is going to do a great job for us. He is connected in Northern California and was a high school coach in the Bay Area, so he has those connections and we are looking forward to continuing to work together. It’s his time now.”
Cooper joined the Spartans’ staff as the Prioleau’s third assistant coach along with Will Kimble and Julius Hodge. A San Jose, Calif. native, Cooper previously served as the Director of Basketball Operations at SJSU for the last two seasons. Prior to his stint with the Spartans, he served as head men’s basketball coach at three Bay Area high schools: Del Mar High (2008-2012), Oak Grove High (2013-2014) and Valley Christian High (2014-2016).
A 2008 Notre Dame de Namur University graduate, Cooper was also a standout college player who finished his playing career fourth on NDNU’s career scoring list, second in career assists and a member of the 1,000 point club–all while earning All-Pacific West Conference honors in three of his four seasons.
“I want to thank Coach Prioleau for the opportunity to be an assistant on his staff,” Cooper said. “I really enjoyed working with him in year one as the director of basketball operations. I love San Jose State and really enjoy our staff chemistry. I’m looking forward to a great season.”
Miyagishima, who has been involved with the Spartans’ program since 2015, will take over for Cooper as the director of basketball operations.
“When I think of Trent, I think of a young man that really deserves the opportunity,” Prioleau said. “He went to San Jose State and graduated from here, and he was actually volunteering for us all last year. He has shown that he really wants to be a part of this and has shown that he wants to be a head coach, and now I’m giving him the opportunity to step in to the Director of Basketball Operations position and I think he’s going to do a great job for us. He will be able to lean on Coach Cooper a little bit, because Cooper held that position for a couple years, and he will also be able to lean on me and the other coaches. This is going to be a big jump for Trent, but at the end of the day he just loves San José State and I think he will do a great job for us.”
A 2017 San Jose State graduate, Miyagishima previously served as the team’s video coordinator in 2017 and was the head manager in 2015 and 2016. The 24-year old product of Woodland Hills, Calif., will now oversee all of the men’s basketball day-to-day operations in his new role.
“I am blessed an honored to continue to be a part of this Spartan Program,” Miyagishima said. “As an alumnus, it means a little more to represent the Spartans. I just want to thank Coach Prioleau for giving me the opportunity to be the next director of basketball operations. I’m ready to get things rolling and excited to be a part of the upcoming season.”
