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Over his eleven years as head coach, Eric Olen has transformed the UC San Diego men's basketball program. The all-time wins leader in Triton basketball history, Olen guided the Tritons through their Division I transition, capping that four-year period with an impressive 21-win season, highlighted by a second place finish in The Big West and a postseason berth. Olen was named Big West Coach of the Year in 2023-24 and was a finalist for the Hugh Durham Award, given annually to the nation's top Division I mid-major coach. In only the team's second Division I season, the Tritons strung together 13 victories, including a season-opening win at Cal -- UC San Diego's first triumph over a Pac-12 opponent. The Tritons won seven games against Big West opponents. Year three in The Big West also included another victory over Cal and wins over half of the conference opponents -- including a win at then-first place UC Irvine.

Following nine seasons as an assistant coach with UC San Diego, Olen was named the program's 12th head coach on Oct. 1, 2013. He is now in his 12th season leading the Tritons.

In Division II, Olen guided the Tritons to three California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular season titles, four consecutive CCAA tournament crowns over seven seasons. In Division II, he  posted a 159-56 (.740) overall record with a 110-40 (.733) mark in CCAA play.

In 2019-20, Olen was named NABC West Region Coach of the Year for the first time after leading the Tritons to a 30-1 record and the top seed in the NCAA West Region. Ranked fourth nationally by the NABC in Division II, UC San Diego won 22 consecutive games to end the season. Posting a 21-1 mark in conference play, the Tritons captured their second straight CCAA regular season and fourth straight CCAA Tournament title. In addition, the Tritons were 16-0 away from home, including a perfect 14-0 mark in true road games. Along the way, Olen became the fastest UC San Diego head coach to reach 150 career wins. He was recognized as the CCAA Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.

The 2018-19 season saw UC San Diego go 26-8 overall and 17-5 in the CCAA. The Tritons won their second-ever conference regular season crown and third straight, fourth overall, league tournament title. They advanced to the NCAA tourney for the fourth consecutive year, where they advanced to the regional semifinal round.

Olen was named the 2016-17 CCAA Coach of the Year as the Tritons set program records for overall wins (27) as well as conference victories (17). The team won its first-ever CCAA regular season title and added a second banner by winning the league's tournament for a second time. For the second straight season, top-seeded UC San Diego advanced to the NCAA West Region championship game, serving as the regional host for the first time.

During his tenure as an assistant coach, Olen played an integral part in all aspects of running the program, including serving as the Tritons' recruiting coordinator. His primary duties also included developing UC San Diego's post players.

Olen joined the UC San Diego coaching staff as a second assistant under head coach Bill Carr for the 2004-05 season. Just one year later, he was promoted to first assistant.

While at UC San Diego, Olen helped coach players to 20 All-CCAA selections and four Tritons garnered league Freshman of the Year accolades.

As a player at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., Olen helped the Badgers to three straight appearances in the NAIA National Tournament, including trips to the NAIA Elite Eight in 2000 and 2001.

He graduated from Spring Hill in 2004 with a degree in Finance. Olen and his wife Lauren have two daughters, Avery and Madeline.