Tuesday, May 3, 2016
by Seattle Pacific Athletic Communications

SAN DIEGO - Ryan Looney, who recently completed his seventh season as head men's basketball coach at Seattle Pacific, has accepted the same position at Point Loma Nazarene. The announcement was made Tuesday morning by Point Loma athletic director Ethan Hamilton.
 
Looney departs as SPU's third all-time winningest coach with a 164-51 record. His winning ratio of 76.3 percent is the best in school history.
 
During his tenure, the Falcons won at least 20 games each year and made NCAA Division II Tournament appearances all seven seasons. He was a two-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after leading his team to league regular-season titles in both 2010 and 2014. He also guided the Falcons to three straight GNAC Tournament Championships (2013-15).

"Ryan Looney has put his successful imprint on a distinguished SPU men's basketball history," said SPU interim athletic director Tom Box. "Ryan's seven years included successive trips to the NCAA with student-athletes who also excelled in the classroom.
 
"We are grateful for Ryan and Julianna's family and the friendships we have built with them. Our best wishes are extended to them as they depart for San Diego."
 
Looney had great success in student-athlete development both on and off the court. The Falcons received three consecutive Team Academic Excellence Awards from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), with the latest in July 2015.
 
SPU compiled an impressive 3.41 combined grade point average and, for the fifth consecutive season, earned the GNAC trophy for posting the top GPA among the league's men's basketball teams. That figure was the highest in the conference for a men's team in any sport in 2014-15.
 
Looney coached David Downs (2014) and Chris Banchero (2010) to GNAC Player of the Year honors, in addition to leading his team to exhibition wins over NCAA Division I opponents Arizona, Nevada and Eastern Washington.
 
"I am so thankful for the opportunity that I was given to lead the men's basketball program at Seattle Pacific University," Looney said. "Our teams experienced a tremendous amount of success on the court, but I am more proud of how our student-athletes grew off of it. Our players have been great ambassadors for SPU."
 
Prior to joining SPU, Looney coached at his alma mater of Eastern Oregon University. As a coach, he led the Mountaineers to back-to-back NAIA Tournament appearances and their first conference title in 38 years.
 
Looney graduated from EOU in 1998 and earned his Master's degree in sports administration from Wisconsin-LaCrosse in 2001. He is married to Julianna, and the couple has two children, daughter Peyton and son Micah.
 
Looney will become the 14th coach in the history of the Point Loma men's basketball program.