Randy Rahe retires from college basketball coaching

OGDEN, Utah — Randy Rahe, Weber State men’s basketball coach and former Utah State assistant coach, has retired. Weber State Athletics announced that Eric Duft, Weber State’s associate head coach, will become the school’s 10th head coach. 

Rahe, age 61, has spent the last 34 years coaching college basketball. His career started at Colorado College in 1988. 

Rahe was a longtime assistant coach for Stew Morrill. They started coaching together at Colorado State in 1991. Rahe followed Morrill to Utah State in 1998 where Rahe stayed until 2004. In those six seasons, he helped the Aggies to a 143-48 record. 

Photo by John Zsiray

Stew Morrill (left) and Randy Rahe coaching in the Spectrum.

Rahe told The Utah Statesman in 2004 that telling Morrill he was leaving was the “hardest thing” he had ever done. 

“Every good thing that’s happened to me in this business is because of coach Morrill, so it was very difficult to walk into that office and tell him,” Rahe said.  “He’s such a quality guy and he understood.”

Rahe joined the Utah coaching staff for the 2004-2005 season. In his first season, he helped the Utes advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. 

In 2006, Rahe became the head coach at Weber State. In 16 seasons with Rahe at the helm, the Wildcats made three NCAA Tournament appearances, won five Big Sky Conference Championships, had six players named Big Sky MVP and had a 316-191 record. 

Rahe went 4-13 against Utah State during his time in Ogden.