Las Cruces, NM.- The new coach at New Mexico State University (NMSU) said Sunday his focus is on rebuilding the culture of a program that was shut down midseason after back-to-back scandals.
“I think they made a point when they signed a guy like me,” said Jason Hooten, who came over from Sam Houston State and was introduced in a pep rally atmosphere at the Aggies arena.
Flanked by athletic director Mario Moccia and chancellor Dan Arvizu, Hooten said the decision to part with Sam Houston after 13 years and 261 wins was a difficult one. He certainly became more defiant given the situation he inherited. The Aggies are expected to lose up to half a roster from a team that was 9-15 when Arvizu shut things down after hazing allegations came on the heels of a fatal shooting of a New York University student. Mexico (UNM) by an Aggies player after a road trip to Albuquerque.
The school is conducting an investigation into the February allegation, in which the player claims three teammates attacked him multiple times in hazing episodes.
“No matter when you take over or what the situation is, you have an opportunity to build a culture,” Hooten said. “This is a cultural moment. You need to build a new culture, and a new beginning, and a new beginning.”
Hooten is slated to earn $425,000 in his first season and $475,000 in his fourth year. Among the incentives in the contract are $2,500 for regular-season wins over rival New Mexico and $10,000 for winning a first-round game in the NCAA Tournament.
Among those in attendance to watch Hooten become the school’s 28th basketball coach was Mary Henson. Her late husband, Lou Henson, led the Aggies to their only Final Four in 1970, winning 308 games in two long seasons at Las Cruces.
The program, which will move from the Western Athletic Conference to Conference USA (C-USA) next season, has been to 10 NCAA tournaments since 2007. The new coach said he hoped to restore the Aggies to that level.
Moccia was asked a handful of questions about the shambles his athletic program is in. He said he hoped to be part of a task force recommended by an outside law firm that investigated the circumstances surrounding forward Mike Peake. Peake has not been charged in the fatal shooting of UNM student Brandon Travis because Peake appeared to be acting in self-defense when he drew a gun after being confronted by Travis in an Albuquerque dormitory complex.
“Whatever the composition of the task force and whatever comes out of that, we will certainly be actively following it,” Moccia said. “We can always improve.”
He also defended the athletic department record of producing hundreds of players with a grade point average of 3.0 — the maximum is 4.0 — or better and who logged more than 6,000 hours of community service per year before the pandemic.
