NMSU tabs Weir as next bench minder

Bulletin report

New Mexico State University announced the hiring of NM State associate head coach Paul Weir as the 25th men’s head basketball coach of the Aggies.

NM State Director of Athletics Mario Moccia introduced Weir at a news conference on Tuesday afternoon, April 26.

“After a nationwide search that yielded several top candidates, I felt that the right coach and the right fit for the Aggie basketball program at this time was Paul Weir,” Moccia said. “Paul is an extremely passionate individual who I know will do everything in his power to keep our program successful, take it to new heights and excite the students as well as our community to get the Pan Am Center filled like it used to be.”

“I’m delighted with the choice of Paul Weir as NMSU’s newest head basketball coach,” said NM State Chancellor Garrey Carruthers. “He will bring new insights, energy and enthusiasm to the Pan American Center and help us continue our tradition of success on the basketball court. Plus, he has an MBA from NMSU and is now working on his doctorate. He’s definitely an Aggie.”

“I am both humbled and honored to accept the position of head coach at New Mexico State University,” said Weir. “To be able to realize this dream is quite simply the opportunity of a lifetime. I am going to pour my heart and soul into this program to make it the best it can be.”

His contract is worth $1 million for four years at $250,000 per year with an option for a fifth year. Plus there are incentives like $10,000 if Aggies win WAC regular season title and $10,000 for an NCAA appearance. If all possible incentives are met, including a national coach of the year honor and an NCAA championship, he could max out at $340,000 for a year.

Weir, who has spent the last nine seasons on the NM State bench, has been the Aggies associate head coach and defensive coordinator since July 2011 for his predecessor Marvin Menzies.

He coached the Aggies to five WAC Tournament Championships (2010, 2012-15) and five subsequent NCAA Tournament appearances. The Aggies collected three WAC Championships during Weir’s tenure, including back-to-back WAC regular season titles in 2015 and 2016 to go with their first WAC regular season title in 2008. Overall, NM State has claimed seven WAC titles during his nine years with the program.

The Aggies defense led the Western Athletic Conference in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense the last two seasons. The Aggies ranked 10th nationally in scoring defense in 201516, allowing just 63.1 points a game. NM State ranked 11th nationally in field goal percentage defense, as opponents shot just 39.2 percent from the floor – NM State’s lowest since the 1960-61 season and fourth-best in program history.

In 2014-15, the Aggies allowed the opposition only 59.8 points a game, ranking 21st nationally in scoring defense. NM State held three opponents under 40 points in the 14-15 campaign, all ranking in the top 10 of fewest points allowed by an Aggie team since 1950.

In addition to his defensive work, Weir also directed the recruiting efforts for the Aggies. He was responsible for signing Daniel Mullings, the first WAC Player of the Year in school history and first AP All-American in 11 years at NM State in 2014. Mullings is the only player in school history to start on fourstraight NCAA Tournament teams. He also landed Sim Bhullar, twotime WAC Tournament MVP and the first Aggie in 24 years to play in the NBA. Bhullar was the first player of Indian descent in NBA history.

Weir came to NM State in 2007 after two seasons as the director of basketball operations at Iowa, where he served under Steve Alford. In 2005-06, his first season at Iowa City, the Hawkeyes won 25 games on their way to a Big Ten Tournament Championship.

He got his start in collegiate basketball as an assistant for Mike McConathy at Northwestern State (La.) in 2004-05. The Demons went 21-12 and won the Southland Conference regular season title.

Weir served as the head coach at Don Bosco Catholic High School in Toronto, Canada, posting a 41-32 record before entering the collegiate ranks. His 2002-03 team was ranked ninth in the greater Toronto area.

Weir was an outstanding player as well, gaining regional and city allstar honors as a point guard and team captain at Iona Catholic Secondary School before going on to play at York University (Toronto, Canada) in 1998-99, where he was the starting point guard for the Lions as a freshman.

Weir graduated with honors while earning his bachelor’s degree from York in 2004. He earned his master’s degree in health and human performance from Northwestern State in 2005, added a second master’s degree in sports psychology from Iowa in 2010 and a third master’s degree in business administration from New Mexico State in 2012. He is currently enrolled in the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at NM State.

Weir and Alma have one son, Theodore.