LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Another member of the coaching staff from last season will be sticking around in the City of Crosses. Greg Heiar announced Wednesday that Darin Graham is set to retain his title of Director of Player Development for the upcoming year.
 
After joining the Aggie staff ahead of the 2021-22 season, Graham immediately made an impact on the program and helped NM State reach new levels of success.
 
"I'm really excited to announce the hiring of Darin "DG" Graham," said NM State head coach Greg Heiar. "He has made a great impression on me since the day I met him. He has a great personality and vibe to him that is infectious. DG has real relationships with the players and strong contacts in the basketball world."
 
To say Graham's first season spent with the Aggies was a memorable one is an understatement as NM State claimed its fourth regular-season Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular-season title in the last five seasons before punching its ticket to the 2022 NCAA Tournament by securing the WAC Tournament championship.
 
"He has been a very successful coach at the grassroots and junior college levels and makes for a great addition to our staff," Heiar added. "All of his colleagues respect him as a professional and rave about his loyalty and positive energy that he will bring to Aggie Nation every day."
 
After earning a spot in the field of 68 teams left to compete for a National Championship, Graham aided in NM State's glowing moment in the national spotlight. NM State drew #21/21 and fifth-seeded UConn in the First Round and proceeded to achieve what every "underdog" dreams of when they knocked off the Huskies, 70-63 in Buffalo, N.Y., on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
 
The win was NM State's first in an NCAA Tournament bout since 1993 and snapped the program's 12-game losing skid in the big dance. Though the Aggies' March Madness run was ended by eventual Elite Eight participant Arkansas in the round of 32, NM State closed the books on one of the best seasons in program history with a 27-7 record. 
 
Graham provided his services to the program as he helped develop players including 2022 WAC Player of the Year Teddy Allen and All-WAC Second Team member Jabari Rice. Allen led both NM State and the WAC in scoring en route to securing no fewer than four laurels from the WAC before being named the WAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Rice joined Allen on the WAC All-Tournament Team, too, prior to their team's run in the NCAA Tournament. 
 
For complete coverage of NM State men's basketball as the Aggies prepare for the 2022-23 campaign, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Men's Basketball), Twitter (@NMStateMBB) and Instagram (@NMStateMBB).