Dr. Jim Larson is starting his 23rd season in college coaching—12 of which were as a head coach—and his seventh season as an assistant coach at Biola University. His extensive coaching background has seen success at multiple levels including high school, NAIA, NCAA Division I and II. He has tallied a 338-154 record as a head coach across all levels.<p>Larson first began coaching at Edison High School in Fresno, where he guided the Tigers to two league titles and the school's first CIF championship in over 30 years while earning Coach of the Year honors in this historic season.</p><p>In his first year at the collegiate level, he spent one year at Westmont College leading the Warriors to a 17-8 record.</p><p>He would spend the next four years as the first head men's basketball coach at CSU Bakersfield, directing the Roadrunners to their first ever CCAA championship and NCAA regional berth. Coach Larson was also recognized as the National Association of Basketball Coaches District Coach of the Year.</p><p>Larson took time off from coaching to earn his doctorate degree from UCLA while teaching at Pepperdine University for two years before returning to the assistant ranks with the Waves under Jim Harrick.</p><p>After Pepperdine, Larson became the Director of Athletics and Head Men's Basketball coach at Whitworth College in Spokane, Wash. for four seasons. While there he guided the Pirates to three Northwest Conference titles and he earned a Northwest College Coach of the Year honor.</p><p>Before coming to Biola, Jim spent three years as and assistant coach and associate professor at Azusa Pacific.<br /><br />In the summers, Larson has traveled to India and West Africa for Athletes in Action, serving as a coach educator by running clinics and coaching international teams. He has also done summer camps for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.</p><p>Larson is also an associate professor in the kinesiology, health and physical education departmen and the director of physical education in addition to his assistant coaching duties at Biola.</p><p>Larson's alma mater is Bethel University, he has a Master's in education from Fresno State University and a doctorate in education from UCLA.</p><p>Jim and his wife Sylvia live in Huntington Beach, Calif.</p>
