LOGAN — The embattled Utah State women’s basketball program will turn its future over to Ohio State assistant coach Wesley Brooks as the Aggies look to bounce back from a turbulent five-year stretch.
“Wesley is a great developer of people, not only as high-preforming student-athletes, All-Americans and professionals, but as young women in society,” USU Athletic Director Diana Sabau said in a statement. “Under his leadership, we look forward to advancing the trajectory of women’s basketball at Utah State University.”
Brooks holds two decades of coaching experience, starting out as a manager under then-head coach John Beilein at West Virginia and later becoming a graduate assistant and eventually director of basketball operations with the Mountaineers. For the 2007-08 season, he took on an assistant coaching role at Robert Morris, moving on shortly after to have stints at, Texas Southern (2008-11), North Texas (2011-15), Utah (2015-17), Michigan (2017-21) and most recently Ohio State (2021-24).
“I am thankful and honored that Diana and President (Elizabeth) Cantwell have given me the opportunity to lead the Utah State women’s basketball program,” said Brooks in the Aggies’ press release. “I am excited and look forward to establishing a program that Aggie nation can be proud of. Our goal is to win championships. Yohanna, Elsa and I look forward to settling into the Logan community.”
The stints at Ohio State and Michigan were by far the most successful for Books. In seven seasons between the two schools, his teams won 20 games six times (the one time they didn’t was the COVID-19 shortened year where Michigan went 16-6) and had an overall record of 161-60. In his time with the Buckeyes and Wolverines, Brooks coach numerous All-Big Ten selections including a Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American, Naz Hillmon.
“Wherever Wes Brooks coaches, they win. He has been a student of the game since he worked for me at WVU,” said Beilein. “He is a great teacher, recruiter and worker, and is very prepared for this opportunity. His student-athletes will love him and I look forward to following the Aggies and their future success.”
Utah State has gone 32-113 (.221) over the last five seasons, four of those were under former head coach Kayla Ard who was dismissed following the team’s loss to Boise State in the Mountain West Tournament on March 10.
Even before the current struggles of the last five years, the Aggies have struggled to find footing in the Mountain West. In the 11 seasons since joining the conference, Utah State has had a winning conference record just once (a 10-8 mark in 2018-19). Brooks will have to battle against that history to try and turn the program and make it as successful as many of USU’s other programs such as volleyball, women’s soccer and men’s basketball — all of which have seen some level of turnaround in the last five years.
