Wichita State Athletics

The 2021-22 season will be Lou Gudino's fourth at Wichita State and first as Associate Head Coach under Isaac Brown.

Brown announced Gudino's promotion on July 1, 2021, stating:

"Lou is a guy that I’ve come to lean on. His basketball knowledge and attention to detail are second-to-none. He’s always prepared and always willing to pitch in. From recruiting and game-planning to staff and player development, his impact is felt in all areas of our program, and this title change reflects that."

A 23-year coaching veteran, Gudino arrived at Wichita State after stops at Louisiana Tech (2005-07), Indiana State (2007-17) and New Mexico State (2017-18).

He's helped the Shockers to 61 wins over three years -- the first two under Gregg Marshall and the most recent under Brown.

The 2020-21 Shockers won their first American Athletic Conference regular season title and advanced to the NCAA tournament. Sophomore Tyson Etienne was conference co-player of the year and point guard Alterique Gilbert was named third-team all-conference.

WSU posted one of the best starts in school history in 2019-20 (15-1) and spent six weeks in the national polls. The Shockers were a consensus NCAA tournament pick among "bracketologists" but saw their season cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Gudino made an immediate impact in his first season, helping guide one of the nation's least-experienced rosters to 22 victories. Three of those came in the postseason when the Shockers took down Furman, Clemson and Indiana on their way to the NIT semifinals. In practice, he worked with the Shocker wings and helped senior Markis McDuffie earn second team all-conference status.

Gudino's hiring at WSU was announced on July 18, 2018.

Prior to that, Gudino spent a season at New Mexico State as top assistant to former WSU aide Chris Jans. The two made an immediate splash in Las Cruces, guiding the Aggies to a 28-6 record, the 2018 Western Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles, and a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The duo coached Jemerrio Jones, the nation’s second leading rebounder (13.2), to WAC Player of the Year and honorable mention AP All-American honors.

At Indiana State (2007-17), Gudino helped guide the Sycamores to five consecutive postseason trips, highlighted by a 2011 NCAA Tournament appearance and back-to-back NIT bids in 2013 and 2014.
 
Gudino’s 10 seasons at ISU marked the longest assistant coaching tenure in program history. Originally hired by Kevin McKenna in 2007, he was retained by new head coach Greg Lansing in 2010 and promoted to associate head coach. In the first of their seven seasons together, Lansing and Gudino guided the Sycamores to a 20-14 record and ended a decade-long NCAA Tournament drought by winning the 2011 Arch Madness (MVC Tournament) title.
 
Gudino served as Indiana State’s recruiting and scheduling coordinator. During his Terre Haute tenure he coached eight All-MVC honorees, including two-time first team selection Jake Odum (2013 & 2014). Brenton Scott was the 2015 MVC Freshman of the Year.
 
Prior to his time with the Sycamores, Gudino spent two seasons at Louisiana Tech (2005-07) as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. The Bulldogs posted a 20-13 record his first season in Ruston, La., and went 11-5 in WAC play on their way to an NIT bid.
 
Before making the jump to Division I, Gudino was the head coach at Frank Phillips Junior College (2003-05). During his two seasons in Borger, Texas, he compiled a 42-18 overall record after inheriting a team that won just seven games.
 
By the end of his second season with the Plainsmen, Frank Phillips JC captured the program's first-ever Western Junior College Athletic Conference title and a No. 16 national ranking. The 26-4 mark in 2004-05 also earned Gudino WJCAC Coach of the Year honors.
 
Prior to the turnaround at Franklin Phillips JC, the Clinton, Ind., product served as an assistant at NCAA Division II Incarnate Word (2000-03).
 
Gudino spent the 1999-00 season at powerhouse Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan., where he helped lead the Cougars to a conference championship. Barton (32-2) earned a No. 1 national ranking and advanced to the Region VI Tournament final.
 
Gudino got his first taste of coaching in the collegiate ranks at Howard College (1997-99). He closed his tenure by guiding the Hawks to a conference championship, a No. 10 ranking and a Region V runner-up finish.
 
Gudino made his coaching debut in 1994 as the assistant boys' varsity coach at Martinsville High School in Martinsville, Ind., before leaving in 1997 for Howard College.
 
A graduate of South Vermillion High School in Clinton, Ind., Gudino earned his bachelor's degree in financial management at Indiana in 1997 and received his master's in sports management from Incarnate Word in 2003.
 
Gudino is married to his wife Dana.