Having demonstrated several trademarks in five seasons at Northwestern State while helping the Demons to two straight Southland Conference titles, the first in a dream season in 2005-06, Bob Austin has changed offices to the Lady Demon side of the coliseum and will step foot on the court this season in his third as a Lady Demon assistant.
Very rarely will you see Austin without a smile on his face, he is always working, handling his responsibilities on the basketball staff flawlessly. He is always willing to lend a hand in whatever way he could, even if it means getting a split lip while participating in an early season low-post drill.
In addition to his regular coaching duties in assisting with the post position, Austin is also the team’s recruiting coordinator and recruits the junior college ranks, especially in east Texas. He also has a hand in scouting opponents, assists with fundraising activities and community service projects, and monitors the academic progress of selected players.
Austin’s debut with the Demons made him one of a handful of people to play in the NCAA Division II Tournament and to be on the basketball staff of a team playing in the Division I NCAA Tournament.
Austin worked with both the men’s and women’s basketball programs five years ago at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Col., near his hometown of Highlands Ranch. Both Otero teams had outstanding seasons - the men, under coach Tim Moser, went 21-9, and the women, playing for coach Taylor Wagner, were 19-8.
He knew the territory, playing two seasons at Otero before signing with Alaska-Anchorage. He was voted the team’s “Most Inspirational Player” and “Defensive Player of the Year” by his teammates in his senior year and received the “Rebounders Award” by the basketball boosters club. His Alaska-Anchorage team reached the Division II NCAA Tournament, falling in the first round to BYU-Hawaii.
Austin graduated from Alaska-Anchorage in 2004 with an emphasis in history after being an honors graduate at Otero.
Coach Bob and his wife, Kalie, were married in May of 2009.
The 31-year-old is the son of Lou and Joanne Austin. His father retired from a railroad retirement system and his mother is a retired special education teacher. His parents are avid NSU fans, and his dad has been known to get into pickup games with the basketball staff. His younger brother Matt played basketball at Pfieffer (N.C.) University.
