Blankenship Named Head Coach at LSU-Shreveport

Kyle Blankenship returns home to take over the men's basketball program at LSUS.

CLAREMORE, Okla.-Rogers State Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Kyle Blankenship has been named head men’s basketball coach at Louisiana State University-Shreveport.

“I am excited for this new opportunity but I know it wouldn’t be possible without my time at RSU,” Blankenship said. “I would like to thank Coach Barkley and each of the players who have been a part of the RSU men’s basketball program over the last two seasons; they have made me a better coach.”

Blankenship has served as the top assistant for the RSU men’s basketball team for two years as the Hillcats have made consecutive quarterfinal appearances at the Buffalo Funds- NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship and produced back-to-back 20-wins seasons.

“Kyle is a proven winner,” RSU Head Men’s Basketball Coach Justin Barkley said. “He has helped our program achieve new heights and I am certain he will carry over his success to LSUS.”

Blankenship returns home to take over the Pilots as he spent three seasons as an assistant coach at perennial powerhouse LSUS. He also played one season at LSUS, finishing his playing career in 2006 for the Pilots. As a player and coach Blankenship helped the Pilots to a 109-27 overall record, two regular season Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) titles, four consecutive GCAC Tournament championships (2006-2009) and four straight NAIA National Tournament appearances (2006-2009).

Blankenship guided the Pilots offense to a record-breaking season and a No. 1 national ranking in his final season as a player in 2005-06. He finished his career at LSUS as the school’s single-season assists leader (199) and single-game assists record holder (14), while leading the nation in assists-to-turnover ratio. 

Blankenship came to Rogers State after coaching one season at Lamar State College – Port Arthur. In his lone year as an assistant, Blankenship helped guide the Seahawks to a record-breaking season, including a school-record 20 wins and a second place finish in the South Division of the Texas Eastern Conference (Region XIV). 

Blankenship began his playing career at The University of Tulsa in 2001 where he was a team captain, three-year letter winner and a member of two Western Athletic Conference championship teams that made two consecutive appearances in the second round of the NCAA Tournament (2002 and 2003).

Blankenship earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from The University of Tulsa in 2006. He is the grandson and nephew of two Hall of Fame Coaches in the State of Oklahoma, Gerald and Bill Blankenship.