UTAH UTES

Utah To Officially Introduce Alex Jensen As Head Coach In March 17 Press Conference

Mar 12, 2025, 6:03 PM

SALT LAKE CITY—The University of Utah will officially introduce Alex Jensen as the Runnin’ Utes head coach on Monday, March 17.

The introductory press conference will be held at 6:00 p.m. MT, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center.

The press conference will also be open to the public, so Utah fans not only can but are encouraged to attend.

After a swift search, University of Utah president Taylor Randall and athletics director Mark Harlan followed through on the highly anticipated move and capitalized in a significant moment of the program’s history. After agreeing to become the head coach of the program last week, Jensen will finally be introduced to the fanbase on Monday.

Who is Alex Jensen?

A Utah Athletics Hall of Famer and starter on the Runnin’ Utes 1998 Final Four team has been named the 17th head coach of Utah’s men’s basketball program.

Jensen returns to the alma mater with 18 seasons of coaching experience, highlighted by 12 as an NBA assistant between the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz organizations. He also possesses head coaching experience in the NBA’s G-League, and multiple years under Runnin’ Utes legend, Rick Majerus. A position he held for four seasons before becoming head coach of the Canton Charge of the NBA D-League in 2011.

Jensen hails from Centerville and was Utah’s Mr. Basketball in 1994 as a senior at Viewmont High School. He led Viewmont to a state championship in his junior year.

Following his freshman season at Utah in 1994-95, he went on a two-year mission. Upon his return, Jensen earned a spot in the starting lineup for the 1997-98 season and helped lead the Utes to one of the best years in school history with a run to the Final Four and an appearance in the NCAA Championship game. As a junior, Jensen took another big step in his development, earning All-Western Athletic Conference honors and being named to the WAC All-Defensive Team.

Jensen capped his senior season in 1999-2000 by winning the first Mountain West Conference Player of the Year award in the league’s inaugural season. He was part of four conference championship teams and made four trips to the NCAA tournament in his time with the Runnin’ Utes.

RELATED: Will Utah Shift Focus Towards Adding Andre Miller To Basketball Program?

This is a significantly positive move for Utah Basketball and Athletics in general. Utah landed the right guy to lead the program into the future. As the landscape shifts, the program now has someone who understands the recipe for success.

RELATED: Behind The Scenes In Utah’s Pursuit Of Alex Jensen For Head Coach

The fanbase has long desired Jensen as head coach, so his return has been met with excitement. Utah has someone that connects them to their storied past, as well as a strong figure to lead them into the future.

Jensen was always viewed as the top target, but a select few other promising candidates were interviewed during the process. Ultimately, Utah felt Jensen was the right man for the job, and the two parties have agreed to terms on a deal that makes him the new head coach of the Runnin’ Utes.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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Utah To Officially Introduce Alex Jensen As Head Coach In March 17 Press Conference