LAS CRUCES, N.M. – As the old adage goes - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
 
Head Coach Jason Hooten announced Monday afternoon that Payne Andrus will also be making the move from Huntsville, Texas, to The City of Crosses. Andrus will join the Aggie staff as an Assistant Coach after serving as the Director of Operations for the Sam Houston men's basketball program during the 2022-23 season.
 
"Coach Andrus has been with me now for 3 years, and I'm very happy he decided to join Aggie Nation," said Coach Hooten. "Payne is a tireless worker and has really started to come into his own as a young upcoming assistant coach. He understands the ins and outs of our program and what it takes to build a successful culture."
 
This will mark Andrus' third stop in as many seasons after he began his coaching career in 2021 as an assistant coach at Weatherford College. During his time at WC, Andrus helped lead the Coyotes to their first winning season in five years as they posted a 15-13 overall record while scoring nearly 84 points per game.
 
As a player, Andrus began his collegiate career at the U.S. Naval Academy where he appeared in 13 games while making one start. Following his time with the Midshipmen, Andrus transferred to Mid-American Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan., where he completed his undergraduate studies and earned all-conference honors in 2016-17 after averaging 6.0 assists per game to pace the Pioneers.
 
Andrus also earned his master's degree from Sam Houston State University while serving as a member of the Bearkats' coaching staff as a graduate assistant. He is originally from Willis, Texas, and played for his father at Willis High School where he earned all-district, all-region and all-country recognition.
 
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