Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Basketball
Gudino, Lou
Lou Gudino
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Phone:
- (405) 744-5845
Lou Gudino joined Steve Lutz’s Oklahoma State staff in May 2025 as an assistant coach.
The 28-year collegiate coaching veteran has served the past three years as the associate head coach at Ball State after holding similar titles at Wichita State, New Mexico State and Indiana State.
“I’ve known Lou for many years,” Lutz said. “He is one of the most prepared coaches in our profession and has helped elevate every program that he’s been a part of. His eye for talent, knack for player development and deep basketball knowledge will make an immediate impact here. I’m thrilled to welcome him and his wife Dana to Stillwater and the Cowboy Basketball family.”
At Ball State (2022-25) under head coach Michael Lewis, Gudino worked closely with the Cardinal big men, including three-time all-conference center Payton Sparks, who finished his career ranked among the program’s all-time leaders in blocks, rebounds, free throws and field goal percentage.
Gudino worked similar magic at Wichita State (2018-22) where he was a part of four straight winning seasons, highlighted by the program’s first American Athletic Conference regular season title, and coached five players who would go on to the NBA.
Gudino was also instrumental in the recruitment of future Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Craig Porter Jr. – a 6-foot-2 unicorn who finished among the program’s career top-10 in blocks, steals and assists per game.
Tyson Etienne (2021 AAC Co-Player of the Year), Dexter Dennis (2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year) and Ricky Council IV (2022 AAC Sixth Man of the Year) were major award recipients, and center Jaime Echenique became the first Colombian-born player to appear in an NBA regular season game.
Gudino’s arrival in Wichita coincided with a full-on youth movement. A Shocker team with six freshman regulars started the year 8-11 before winning 14 of its next 17 on the way to the NIT semifinals.
That momentum carried into the following year when the Shockers posted a 23-8 record and fielded the nation’s eighth best defense, per KenPom. They were a consensus NCAA at-large pick among the bracketologists but missed out on a chance to prove it when COVID-19 put an early end to the postseason.
Faced with another rebuilding year, the 2020-21 Shockers again exceeded expectations. Picked seventh in the AAC preseason poll, WSU finished 11-2 in league play to win the league’s regular season title over Final Four-bound Houston and earned an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament.
Prior to WSU, Gudino spent a season at New Mexico State (2017-18) as top assistant to Chris Jans. The two made an immediate splash in Las Cruces, guiding the Aggies to a 28-6 record, the 2018 Western Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles, and a No. 12 seed in the NCAA tournament. Gudino also coached Jemerrio Jones, the nation’s second-leading rebounder (13.2), to WAC Player of the Year and honorable mention AP All-American honors.
Gudino spent a decade at Indiana State (2007-17) in the Missouri Valley Conference, where he helped guide the Sycamores to five consecutive postseason trips, highlighted by a 2011 NCAA Tournament appearance and back-to-back NIT bids in 2013 and 2014.
Gudino’s 10 seasons at ISU marked the longest assistant coaching tenure in program history. Originally hired by Kevin McKenna in 2007, he was retained by new head coach Greg Lansing in 2010 and promoted to associate head coach. In the first of their seven seasons together, Lansing and Gudino guided the Sycamores to a 20-14 record and ended a decade-long NCAA Tournament drought by winning the 2011 Arch Madness (MVC Tournament) title.
Gudino served as Indiana State’s recruiting and scheduling coordinator. During his Terre Haute tenure he coached eight All-MVC honorees, including two-time first team selection Jake Odum (2013 & 2014). Brenton Scott was the 2015 MVC Freshman of the Year.
Prior to his time with the Sycamores, Gudino spent two seasons at Louisiana Tech (2005-07) in Ruston, La. as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. The Bulldogs posted a 20-13 record in his first season and went 11-5 in WAC play on their way to an NIT bid.
Before making the jump to Division I, Gudino was the junior college head coach at Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas (2003-05). He took a team that had won just seven games prior to his arrival to a 42-18 record over the next two seasons. Gudino was voted conference coach of the year in his final go-around after leading the Plainsmen to a 26-4 mark, a No. 16 national ranking and the program’s first ever WJCAC title.
Prior to the turnaround at Frank Phillips, Gudino served as an assistant at Incarnate Word (2000-03). He helped the school to a 62-21 record and a share of the 2002 Lone Star Conference regular season title.
Gudino spent the 1999-00 season at powerhouse Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan., where he helped lead the Cougars to a conference championship. Barton (32-2) earned a No. 1 national ranking and advanced to the Region VI Tournament final.
Gudino first joined the collegiate coaching ranks at Howard College (1997-99). He closed his tenure by guiding the Hawks to a conference championship, a No. 10 ranking and a Region V runner-up finish.
The Clinton, Ind. native played two seasons of college basketball at Spalding University from 1992-94 before transferring to the University of Indiana, where he got his first taste of coaching as boys varsity assistant at Martinsville High School (1994-97).
Gudino earned his bachelor's degree in financial management at Indiana in 1997 and added a Master's in Sports Management from Incarnate Word in 2003.
Gudino is married to his wife Dana.
Collegiate Coaching Experience:
2025-Pr. – Oklahoma State – Assistant Coach (Steve Lutz)
2022-25 – Ball State – Associate Head Coach (Michael Lewis)
2021-22 – Wichita State – Associate Head Coach (Isaac Brown)
2018-21 – Wichita State – Assistant Coach (Gregg Marshall/Isaac Brown)
2017-18 – New Mexico State – Associate Head Coach (Chris Jans)
2010-17 – Indiana State – Associate Head Coach (Greg Lansing)
2007-10 – Indiana State – Assistant Coach (Kevin McKenna)
2005-07 – Louisiana Tech – Assistant Coach (Keith Richard)
2003-05 – Frank Phillips College – Head Coach
2000-03 – Incarnate Word – Assistant Coach
1999-00 – Barton (Kan.) CC – Assistant Coach
1997-99 – Howard (Texas) JC – Assistant Coach
Education:
Indiana ’97 (B.S. Financial Management)
Incarnate Word ’03 (Masters in Sports Management)
The 28-year collegiate coaching veteran has served the past three years as the associate head coach at Ball State after holding similar titles at Wichita State, New Mexico State and Indiana State.
“I’ve known Lou for many years,” Lutz said. “He is one of the most prepared coaches in our profession and has helped elevate every program that he’s been a part of. His eye for talent, knack for player development and deep basketball knowledge will make an immediate impact here. I’m thrilled to welcome him and his wife Dana to Stillwater and the Cowboy Basketball family.”
At Ball State (2022-25) under head coach Michael Lewis, Gudino worked closely with the Cardinal big men, including three-time all-conference center Payton Sparks, who finished his career ranked among the program’s all-time leaders in blocks, rebounds, free throws and field goal percentage.
Gudino worked similar magic at Wichita State (2018-22) where he was a part of four straight winning seasons, highlighted by the program’s first American Athletic Conference regular season title, and coached five players who would go on to the NBA.
Gudino was also instrumental in the recruitment of future Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Craig Porter Jr. – a 6-foot-2 unicorn who finished among the program’s career top-10 in blocks, steals and assists per game.
Tyson Etienne (2021 AAC Co-Player of the Year), Dexter Dennis (2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year) and Ricky Council IV (2022 AAC Sixth Man of the Year) were major award recipients, and center Jaime Echenique became the first Colombian-born player to appear in an NBA regular season game.
Gudino’s arrival in Wichita coincided with a full-on youth movement. A Shocker team with six freshman regulars started the year 8-11 before winning 14 of its next 17 on the way to the NIT semifinals.
That momentum carried into the following year when the Shockers posted a 23-8 record and fielded the nation’s eighth best defense, per KenPom. They were a consensus NCAA at-large pick among the bracketologists but missed out on a chance to prove it when COVID-19 put an early end to the postseason.
Faced with another rebuilding year, the 2020-21 Shockers again exceeded expectations. Picked seventh in the AAC preseason poll, WSU finished 11-2 in league play to win the league’s regular season title over Final Four-bound Houston and earned an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament.
Prior to WSU, Gudino spent a season at New Mexico State (2017-18) as top assistant to Chris Jans. The two made an immediate splash in Las Cruces, guiding the Aggies to a 28-6 record, the 2018 Western Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles, and a No. 12 seed in the NCAA tournament. Gudino also coached Jemerrio Jones, the nation’s second-leading rebounder (13.2), to WAC Player of the Year and honorable mention AP All-American honors.
Gudino spent a decade at Indiana State (2007-17) in the Missouri Valley Conference, where he helped guide the Sycamores to five consecutive postseason trips, highlighted by a 2011 NCAA Tournament appearance and back-to-back NIT bids in 2013 and 2014.
Gudino’s 10 seasons at ISU marked the longest assistant coaching tenure in program history. Originally hired by Kevin McKenna in 2007, he was retained by new head coach Greg Lansing in 2010 and promoted to associate head coach. In the first of their seven seasons together, Lansing and Gudino guided the Sycamores to a 20-14 record and ended a decade-long NCAA Tournament drought by winning the 2011 Arch Madness (MVC Tournament) title.
Gudino served as Indiana State’s recruiting and scheduling coordinator. During his Terre Haute tenure he coached eight All-MVC honorees, including two-time first team selection Jake Odum (2013 & 2014). Brenton Scott was the 2015 MVC Freshman of the Year.
Prior to his time with the Sycamores, Gudino spent two seasons at Louisiana Tech (2005-07) in Ruston, La. as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. The Bulldogs posted a 20-13 record in his first season and went 11-5 in WAC play on their way to an NIT bid.
Before making the jump to Division I, Gudino was the junior college head coach at Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas (2003-05). He took a team that had won just seven games prior to his arrival to a 42-18 record over the next two seasons. Gudino was voted conference coach of the year in his final go-around after leading the Plainsmen to a 26-4 mark, a No. 16 national ranking and the program’s first ever WJCAC title.
Prior to the turnaround at Frank Phillips, Gudino served as an assistant at Incarnate Word (2000-03). He helped the school to a 62-21 record and a share of the 2002 Lone Star Conference regular season title.
Gudino spent the 1999-00 season at powerhouse Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan., where he helped lead the Cougars to a conference championship. Barton (32-2) earned a No. 1 national ranking and advanced to the Region VI Tournament final.
Gudino first joined the collegiate coaching ranks at Howard College (1997-99). He closed his tenure by guiding the Hawks to a conference championship, a No. 10 ranking and a Region V runner-up finish.
The Clinton, Ind. native played two seasons of college basketball at Spalding University from 1992-94 before transferring to the University of Indiana, where he got his first taste of coaching as boys varsity assistant at Martinsville High School (1994-97).
Gudino earned his bachelor's degree in financial management at Indiana in 1997 and added a Master's in Sports Management from Incarnate Word in 2003.
Gudino is married to his wife Dana.
Collegiate Coaching Experience:
2025-Pr. – Oklahoma State – Assistant Coach (Steve Lutz)
2022-25 – Ball State – Associate Head Coach (Michael Lewis)
2021-22 – Wichita State – Associate Head Coach (Isaac Brown)
2018-21 – Wichita State – Assistant Coach (Gregg Marshall/Isaac Brown)
2017-18 – New Mexico State – Associate Head Coach (Chris Jans)
2010-17 – Indiana State – Associate Head Coach (Greg Lansing)
2007-10 – Indiana State – Assistant Coach (Kevin McKenna)
2005-07 – Louisiana Tech – Assistant Coach (Keith Richard)
2003-05 – Frank Phillips College – Head Coach
2000-03 – Incarnate Word – Assistant Coach
1999-00 – Barton (Kan.) CC – Assistant Coach
1997-99 – Howard (Texas) JC – Assistant Coach
Education:
Indiana ’97 (B.S. Financial Management)
Incarnate Word ’03 (Masters in Sports Management)
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