Southern Miss has hired Ben Mandelbaum as an assistant coach for its men's basketball program. Mandelbaum expressed enthusiasm about joining the Golden Eagles, emphasizing the winning culture established by Coach Jay Ladner. Prior to this, he spent a year at Chicago State, where he helped a player earn All-NEC honors and contributed to a strong team performance across multiple statistical categories. His coaching resume includes notable positions at Alcorn State, Lander University, and Tallahassee Community College.

By the Numbers
  • Mandelbaum contributed to Chicago State leading the NEC in steals per game (8.2) and turnover margin (+2.9).
  • At Tallahassee CC, he helped achieve a record of 49 wins against 13 losses and a NJCAA Tournament berth (27-6) for the first time since 2011.
State of Play
  • Mandelbaum is regarded as one of the top young coaches in the country, adding fresh talent to the Southern Miss staff.
  • The Golden Eagles are looking to build on their existing success and strengthen their program culture with this hire.
What's Next

Mandelbaum will begin integrating into the Southern Miss coaching staff, focusing on recruitment and player development aimed at enhancing the team's performance in the upcoming season.

Bottom Line

Ben Mandelbaum's addition to the Southern Miss basketball coaching staff signals a strategic move to foster a winning culture and leverage his track record of success to elevate the program's competitiveness.