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BEAUMONT, Texas – Charles Harral has been named assistant coach announced Lamar University head basketball coach Alvin Brooks.

“Coach Harral and I go way back,” said Brooks. “When I began the process of putting together a staff, I looked for guys who are servant leaders. These are guys who have served their players well and helped them grow as young men and student-athletes. Coach Harral is the perfect example of this.”

Harral comes the Golden Triangle from Yuma, Ariz., where he spent the previous 10 seasons as the head basketball coach at Arizona Western College. During his time in Yuma, Harral blazed a trail of success that will go down as one of the best in the Matador record books. A three-time ACCAC Coach of the Year selection, Harral won more than 200 games (217) and posted an .711 winning percentage.

In addition to the overall win total, Harral also guided the Matadors to four regional titles and the 2019 district championship. Following the 2018-19 season, he was also named district coach of the year.

While at the helm, the Matadors averaged 21 wins per season and never posted a sub-.500 record. Harral had the Matadors in the spotlight advancing to the postseason every year, including five consecutive trips to the Region I championship game.

Harral’s players also reaped the benefit of his leadership producing five NJCAA All-Americans. He leaves AWC as the third all-time winningest coach in program history.

“He did an amazing job in his 10 years as the head coach at Arizona Western,” said Brooks. “He led them to the national tournament last season and developed several players into NCAA Division I prospects. Coach Harral also worked with my son at Arkansas-Fort Smith where he won a national championship.”

Prior to his time at AWC, Harral served on staff at Weber State in Odgen, Utah. During his two years in Ogden, the Wildcats posted a 45-21 (.682) overall record, a 28-4 (.875) league mark, two 20-win campaigns, two Big Sky Conference regular-season titles and two NIT postseason appearances.

In addition to the team’s success, Harral also helped coach arguably the program’s greatest player in 2012 first-round selection (No. 6 overall pick) Damian Lillard. An eight-year NBA veteran, Lillard is a five-time All-NBA selection who was named NBA Rookie of the Year during his first season with Portland. An 11-time NBA Player of the Week selection, Lillard has averaged nearly 30 points per game during his career.

Before making the transition to NCAA Division I basketball, Harral spent on staff at South Plains Junior College and Arkansas-Fort Smith, where he help lead each program to an NJCAA National title.