Andy Newman hopes to build on first season at CSUN

Andy Newman infused new energy into the Cal State Northridge basketball program when he took over as head coach ahead of the 2023-24 season. With a background as a Division I assistant and highly successful stints as a Division II head coach, Newman has seamlessly transitioned into his new role, bringing a fresh perspective and drive to the Matadors.

Last year, Newman guided CSUN to its first winning season in 15 years. He also is the winningest first-year head coach in the program’s history. It was a notable accomplishment for CSUN, but Newman has spent the offseason focused on making sure the Matadors can take another step forward this season.

Newman knows how to build a program. He previously guided Division II Cal State San Bernardino for four years. He led them to a winning record in his first season before finishing his tenure with back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths, including a Final Four appearance in 2022-23.

“The level of play, it’s just a little bit higher,” said Newman on transitioning to the D-I level. “The speed, the height, the athleticism, all just takes a jump from division two to division one.”

When Newman started at CSUN, he emphasized shot selection and hardworking defense. The philosophy worked, as Northridge finished last season with a 19-15 record and 9-11 mark in Big West play – a notable increase from the 7-25 record the season before.

Determined to build upon his first season, Newman focused on adding 3-point shooting to the 2024-25 squad.

The Matadors added 10 players during the recruiting window, including three players who shot 30% or higher from behind the arc, including former Pacific forward Judson Martindale, who shot 37.5% from 3.

“Last year, we had a lot of shots right around the rim and not too many 3-point shot attempts,” Newman said. “I think this year, you’ll see a lot more balance between shots inside and outside the 3.”

Northridge ranked as the 33rd-best rebounding school in the nation last year, averaging 40.1 rebounds per game. Newman said the team trains hard on rebounding and hopes the high rebounding numbers can carry into the 2024-25 season.

With the non-conference season set to begin in around two months, Newman likes how the team has performed in off-season workouts and practices.

“I think everybody right now is playing great basketball. I’m looking forward to coaching all those guys,” the head coach said.

Cal Baptist transfer Scotty Washington and BYU transfer Marcus Adams Jr. are two players to look out for this season, as both players have displayed great signs early on.

CSUN added a few freshman players during the recruiting window. Newman expects forward Noah Williams and guard Sabien Cain to get playing time this season.

With many newcomers, Newman understands it will take time for the team to build chemistry and for him to dial in his rotation. But he doesn’t want that to stop them from building on last year’s success and taking another step forward as a program this season. Newman has high expectations and hopes the Matadors can make some noise in the Big West Conference in 2024-25.

“We just want to continue building a program. We want to continue moving it forward, and we’d like to finish in the top half of the league,” Newman said. “We’d like to eventually start putting ourselves in position to compete for a championship here at Northridge.”