Josh Pastner Biography
Pastner, who has been with the program as a player and administrator since 1996, continues to be a key cog in the Wildcats' recruiting efforts and work with the program's big men.
Pastner’s tireless efforts on the recruiting trail continue to pay big dividends for the program, as the Wildcats continue to successfully recruit top-notch student-athletes.
His dedication to the program can be seen in the outstanding play of
"Josh has been intimately involved with this program for 10 years," said Lute Olson. "He has been an excellent addition to the staff and his tireless efforts continue benefit the program on the court and off."
In his four years as an assistant,
During the 2001‑02 season, Pastner served as the team's video and recruiting coordinator, as well as an administrative assistant. In this role, he oversaw the team's video room and assisted in film editing, as designated by the coaching staff. Pastner coordinated all recruiting mailings and assisted the coaching staff with interoffice academic concerns. He filled the coaching vacancy left when former assistant Jay John left to become the head coach at
Pastner, 28, made the step up from the playing ranks to the coaching world in June 2000 when he was named an undergraduate assistant coach for
The Kingwood,
Pastner received his undergraduate degree in two‑and‑a‑half years, and his master's degree the following year, and started work on his doctorate. In his role as an undergraduate assistant in 2000-01, Pastner began pursuit of another undergraduate degree.
Despite his lack of playing time, Pastner's presence in the program has been invaluable since he arrived in 1996. He did many of the small behind the scenes things that helped the team win an NCAA Championship and two Pac‑10 titles during his career. Pastner helped break down game tapes and scout opponents, and he was the shot specialist for many of the Wildcat players. In his 10 years with the program,
While a high school and college athlete, Pastner began his career as a coach on the AAU circuit. He led the Houston Hoops, a select all-star team from that area, to the 1999 Nike National Summer Championship in
Pastner earned his bachelor's degree in family studies from Arizona in December 1998, 2?˝ years after enrolling, the fastest an Arizona student‑athlete has ever earned a degree. He finished his master's in teaching and teacher education in December 1999 before beginning work on his doctorate.
