ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Lobo men’s basketball team will have a new voice on the sidelines for the 2023-24 season. UNM announced the hiring of Aaron Katsuma as a new director of basketball operations on Wednesday.
Katsuma joins the Lobos with a decade of combined experience with Drake Minnesota, and most recently, Colorado State. He previously served under coach Richard Pitino with the Gophers as a student manager, graduate manager, and Assistant Director of Player Personnel.
“I am excited about the addition of Aaron Katsuma,” said Pitino. “I’ve known Aaron for many years, going back to when he worked for us as a student manager. He did an unbelievable job for me at the University of Minnesota. He is a tireless worker who builds amazing relationships with the players, is a relentless recruiter, and is terrific on the court. He will fit in very well with the culture of our program.”
During his tenure with Colorado State, Katsuma was part of a staff that led the Rams to two postseason appearances, and a final season ranking of 24 in the 2021-22 AP poll. He helped managed the basketball budget, scheduled and contracted non-conference games, organize recruiting and official visits, coordinated transportation and accommodations for team travel, and worked with the academic advisor. In 2022, he was honored with the Asian Coaches Association Coach of the Year award.
