Eric Olen, a two-time Big West Coach of the Year, became the head coach of the New Mexico Lobos in April. He spent over a decade building the University of California, San Diego, before accepting the job at New Mexico.

On Tuesday, Olen discussed his move to Albuquerque with CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein. Rothstein asked Olsen about the mentors or styles he had mirrored in his team while crafting his coaching style.

Eric Olsen mentioned that his staff tailored the game plan at UC San Diego to their best players. He said that when building a team, they would always start with their highest-usage players and figure out how to set them up for success.

The Tritons finished the 2024-25 season with a 30-5 record, winning the Big West regular season and tournament titles. However, they were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Michigan .

Eric Olen adds five transfers in his first season as New Mexico's coach

When Eric Olen was hired in April to replace Richard Pitino as the New Mexico coach, he said that he wanted to add players who would be excited to play for the Lobos.

He has added five transfers for the upcoming season — JT Rock, Kevin Patton Jr, Tajavis Miller, Chris Howell and Deyton Albury, per 247Sports. Meanwhile, twelve players from last year’s roster have departed via the portal.

Salim is a writer at Sportskeeda covering College Basketball. Salim holds a degree in Civil Engineering and has two years of experience writing about both NBA and College Basketball. He has a knack for learning and is passionate about seeking new knowledge.

A basketball enthusiast since his college days, Salim developed a love for the sport through Stephen Curry and most recently Luka Doncic has become his favorite player. He started following college basketball after Angel Reese's breakout season with LSU in 2022.

Apart from basketball, Salim is also a huge fan of football. As much as he enjoys watching games, he is also equally invested in playing the sport.