Gus Argenal enters his fourth season as the head coach of the Cal State East Bay men's basketball team in 2016-17. In three short seasons Argenal has brought a new level of passion, energy, and excitement to Pioneer Basketball and the Wagon. His staff’s diligent work has created an environment of not only athletic success but academic improvement and community involvement. Argenal’s teams have averaged an astounding 2.93 team grade point average over his nine quarters at the helm.
The 2015-16 campaign was a pivotal growing stage for the Pioneers as they improved their win total by three games from the previous season posting 4 road CCAA wins which tied the schools most in a season. For the first time in the CCAA era the men’s basketball team won four non conference games including 2 Division II west region wins as the schedule saw them compete against 7 nationally ranked opponents. The defensive minded approach of the Pioneers saw them rank first in the CCAA in 3pts allowed and attempted, second in 3pt% defense, first in FT%, and third in offensive rebounds. This stingy defense helped the Pioneers hold 4 teams in the 60 point range, 3 teams in the 50 point range, 2 teams in the 40 point range, and a record breaking 37 points allowed in a road win against Cal State LA ( Lowest output of any CCAA on the season). Their 68.6 points allowed per game, positive 1.5 rebounding margin, and -1.9 scoring margin were programs best since entering the always competitive CCAA. Junior Jalen Richard became only the third player to earn All CCAA as a honorable mention nominee joining Mark Samuels and Jacari Whitfield. His record breaking season saw him tie the school record for 3pts in a single game with 8 in a road win vs Cal State Stanislaus. Senior Robert Garrett recorded 26 total blocks which was also a CCAA era record. In the winter season the men’s basketball team recorded a program best 5 players on the CCAA All academic team, the most of any male program in the CCAA( Alex Manu, Paramvir Singh, Tre Mauldin, Ryan Okwudibonye, Jordan Balser). Paramvir Singh was also nominated to the CCAA All Academic team for the entire season. Juniors Tre Mauldin, Jalen Richard, and Paramvir Singh were named to the 2015-16 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court, which recognizes student-athletes who excelled in academics.
The 2014-15 was a season marred by injury with over half the roster missing games at some point due to injury and four starters sustaining season ending injuries. Even with this adversity this group continued to battle and created some fantastic highlights building on the Argenal core of Defense, Toughness, and Teamwork. Most notably this group secured only the schools fourth opponent sweep over Cal State Dominguez Hills while competing in one of the hardest schedules in school history with five games against Divison 1 opponents including local PAC 12 school CAL. That season saw senior Jacari Whitfield complete his storied career with a Honorable Mention ALL CCAA nomination along with setting program records. Whtfield left the Pioneers as the school’s all time leader in three point field goals made (195), career free throw percentage (85.5%), second in assists (191), and ninth in points (959). Nick Grieves, Argenals first East Bay signee, finished his career as the schools fifth all time leading three point shooter (118). Academically, the program had its finest year in school history averaging a 3.07 gpa for the year. The team had 3 players get named to the CCAA winter all academic team ( Kyle Frakes, Cody Kale, and Paramvir Singh) and two players received all academic CCAA for the season in Cody Kale and Tre Mauldin. The 2014-15 team also gained national recognition for its academic dominance with receiving a Team Academic Excellence Award by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The Pioneers were one of 153 programs across all three NCAA divisions to capture the third annual Academic Excellence Award, which was created by the NABC Committee on Academics to recognize teams that maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average for the school year. Paramvir Singh and Tre Mauldin were also named to the NABC Honors Court which recognizes student athletes that are juniors or seniors that maintain above a 3.2 gpa.
In 2013-14, his initial season, he garnered his first victory against Fresno Pacific University of the Pac West Conference on November 15. Programs firsts began to fall under his watch that season with the programs first ever win over Cal State Dominguez Hills in the CCAA era. Three players broke or tied records with Gabe Kindred taking the top spot for Free Throws Made in a single season(154), free throws made in a game(16), and free throw percentage for a single game(100%). Nick grieves stole the single game 3 point record with 8 in a single game vs Sonoma State and Mark Samuels finished his stellar career as the third all time leading scrorer, fourth all time in assists, tenth in steals, and eighth in rebounds. The team ranked in the top 5 in the CCAA in 3 pt allowed ( #1), forced turnovers (#5), points per game ( #5), 3 pts made (#4), and free throw percentage (#3). Academically, there was also a shift as the team secured a 3.17 spring team gpa which was the first over a 3.0 since Fall 2012 and Freshman Kyle Frakes earned All CCAA Academic Team honors.
The Pioneers have been leaders and beacons in the community having spent countless hours serving the local schools and region. Each Fall Members of the team traveled to Alameda County Community Food Bank to help sort and pack boxes of food. Team members annually volunteer at the ,“Annual Family Holiday Party”, hosted by Hayward Area Recreation at the Ashland Community Center in San Leandro. The Pioneer student-athletes helped set up the event and organize the children for story time and also assisted with the arts & crafts activities. The team has partnered with local schools with reading programs, physical fitness awareness events, and free clinics to promote education and the importance in a college degree. During the summer months the men’s basketball program holds over four weeks of summer camp that have grown each year and have become a summer tradition for local youth.
A native of Lafayette, Calif., Argenal had coaching experience at both the Division I and Division II prior to taking over at CSUEB, most recently as an assistant coach at Rice University.
Argenal began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Arizona State for the 2004-05 season. The following year, he returned to his alma mater, UC Davis, to serve as an assistant coach. As the Aggies transitioned to NCAA Division I, Argenal was responsible for recruiting, film exchange, academic monitoring, game and practice planning, and running camps.
In 2006, he began his first coaching stint in the state of Texas, taking a position as Basketball Operations Coordinator at the University of Texas at San Antonio. After two seasons, Argenal returned to Northern California to become an assistant coach at Chico State.
In three years, Argenal helped build the Wildcats into a CCAA contender and record their first-ever conference tournament victory as he focused on coaching the guards. He recruited four All-Conference players, including Jay Flores, the 2011-12 CCAA Most Valuable Player. In his final year at Chico, the team won the University Foundation Board of Governors Award for Academic Excellence (given to the men's team with the highest grade point average).
Argenal returned to UC Davis once again in 2011. He served as an assistant coach for one season and was involved in managing all aspects of the program. He then began his second stint in the Lone Star State, accepting an assistant coach position with the Rice Owls. Argenal's impact with recruiting at Rice was evident quickly, and he coached freshman point guard Max Guercy to the Conference USA All-Freshman team.
East Bay's head coach was an outstanding collegiate student-athlete himself. Argenal is one of the top point guards in UC Davis history and still shares the school's single-game record for assists (13). As a senior, he led the Aggies in assists and steals, helping the 2003-04 squad post an 18-9 record. Argenal graduated from UC Davis in 2004 with a degree in history. He then earned a master's degree in education from Arizona State in 2005.
Argenal prepped at De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., where he was a three-year starter and a dominant defensive point guard. As a senior and team captain in 1999, he led the Spartans to the Northern California Regional Finals and was named BVAL Most Valuable Player. His younger brother, Justin, is currently the head basketball coach at De La Salle.
He resides in Concord, Calif and is married to former UC Davis Women’s basketball standout Hannah Turner. The couple has two boys, Bo (7) and Ace ( 5).
