Settembre brings seven years of successful college coaching experience to the Cowboys
New Mexico Highlands University is excited to announce that Zach Settembre has been named the next head men’s basketball coach. Settembre comes to Las Vegas from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX, where he was an assistant coach during the previous academic year.
Settembre comes to NMHU with seven years of college coaching experience, including two years as the head coach at Tallahassee Community College from 2019-2021. He also has served as an assistant at Coastal Carolina, New Mexico State, and twice at Tarleton State.
NMHU Director of Athletics Shanna Halalilo announced the hire with the anticipation of good things to come for Cowboy basketball: “I’m excited to have Coach Settembre as the next leader of Highlands’ men’s basketball program. I look forward to watching him build a program that will be a competitive force in the RMAC.”
“It’s a tremendous honor to be named the head basketball coach at New Mexico Highlands University. From my first conversation with university leadership, it was clear that the commitment to Cowboys Basketball aligned perfectly with my vision for what we can and will become. We will be relentless in our pursuit of excellence both in the classroom and on the hardwood. We will stop at nothing to ensure that our young men feel supported during their time with us in Las Vegas, but more importantly, we will go to great lengths to show our commitment to developing proud graduates who depart our campus ready to succeed in life.”
Zach Settembre, new NMHU Men’s Basketball Head Coach.
Settembre was introduced to Division I basketball as a student manager for Syracuse under legendary head coach Jim Boeheim. He led Tallahassee Community College to unprecedented success during his two-year run as head coach, leading the Eagles to back-to-back Panhandle Conference Championships and a 46-9 overall record while at the helm. Settembre was named the Panhandle Conference Coach of the Year in both seasons.
During the 2019-20 season, the Eagles finished with a 27-6 overall record and 9-3 mark in conference play en route to the outright Panhandle Conference Championship – their first since 2001.
Settembre is a native of Louisville, Kentucky, where he graduated from St. Xavier High School in 2009.