MONTECITO, Calif. - After five seasons as head coach of the Westmont Men’s Basketball program, Landon Boucher announced on Tuesday his decision to step down. For the 2012 Westmont graduate, the decision was not based on basketball, but rather on family.
Boucher, who transferred to Westmont in the fall of 2010, met and eventually married Westmont Soccer standout Aolani Rueff (’13). After marrying in 2016, the two welcomed their first son, Isaiah, in February of 2020. With their family growing in the coming weeks, Boucher has decided that now is the time to make a change.
“We’re expecting another baby any day now,” said Boucher, “and with Isaiah being five years old, I just want to be more of a Dad. I want to be more present and I want to have the chance to be around more for my children and for my wife.”
Boucher, who led the Warriors to their first PacWest Tournament berth this season, said, “Being a college coach at this level takes a ton of time and effort to do it well, but I’m a Dad first, and I’m a husband first. We’re going to move back to Oregon, and have a chance to be around more of my family. We want the kids to grow up around a village.”
Boucher, who played for head coach John Moore from 2010-12, graduated from Westmont with a bachelor’s in Kinesiology. After beginning his coaching career nearby at San Marcos High School, Boucher returned to Westmont as an assistant on Moore’s staff ahead of the 2018-19 season. Following two years as an assistant, Boucher was named head coach in May of 2020.
“First and foremost, I am extremely grateful for John Moore taking me in as a player 15 years ago,” reflected Boucher. “I found my faith in God at Westmont, and gave my life to the Lord in 2013. Being at Westmont shifted my life eternally. I am really thankful for my time as a player and as a student, and then years later, for the chance to be an assistant. Not just playing for John, but getting to work for him was a blessing.
“Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d get to be the head coach at Westmont. I can remember being on that first visit, and sitting in front of Kerrwood looking down on that garden with John. To get the chance to sit in his seat years later has been an honor.”
That transition, of course, was Westmont’s move from the NAIA and the GSAC to NCAA Division II and the PacWest. Entering this season, Boucher and company were some of the biggest benefactors of Westmont’s sudden full-membership at the Division II level. The Warriors finished in a tie for fourth place this season in the PacWest standings, giving the program its first postseason appearance at the Division II level.
“The transition can be challenging,” assured Boucher, “but I’m really proud of our Westmont Warriors for stepping up and becoming a top-half team in the PacWest this season in a year when we didn’t think we’d even have the chance. To do this in our first year was special. We not only accomplished a lot on the court, but to me, I saw us accomplish a lot off the court as well.
“Our guys embraced, and were embraced by our community this year. We saw records fall, and we saw a team that played with a lot of heart and passion down the stretch. Looking back on it, gratitude is the word I keep coming back to. Robert Ruiz has been a great AD. He’s been someone that I have learned a lot from, in terms of what it means to lead.”
“We are very thankful for the five years that Coach Boucher poured into our program,” offered Westmont’s Director of Athletics, Robert Ruiz. “Landon led well through tumultuous times. Under Landon’s watch we navigated COVID along with our transition to NCAA Division II, which included a significantly more challenging schedule. That, along with the advent of the transfer portal and NIL, provided many challenges over the last few years.
“Still, without a doubt, our program moved forward during his tenure. Our athletes had a wonderful experience because of Landon’s love and care for them on and off the court. Finishing in fourth-place in conference and qualifying for the postseason tournament in our first eligible year was a significant accomplishment. We are set up well for the future.”
Boucher continued, “I will always be grateful, I will always be a Westmont Warrior, and I will always be a Westmont Warrior fan. I’ll be this team’s number-one fan from this day forward. I want to see Westmont win championships in the PacWest, and in the West Region. This program has the makings to do so, and I’ll be so excited to cheer on and support whoever it is that leads this program next.
Boucher concluded, “I will miss The Murch, and I will miss the people that I have grown to love in this community. Still, as thankful as we are for the last 15 years, Aolani and I are equally excited about our future.”
Westmont’s search for a new head coach has already begun.
“We will now turn our focus to identifying and bringing in the right fit for the next leader of this program,” said Ruiz. “Men’s Basketball has a rich history at Westmont that we will aspire to build on. Coach Boucher has left the program in a great place, and we are abundantly optimistic about the program’s future.”
(Article courtesy of Westmont College Athletics).
Landon Boucher resigns as head basketball coach at Westmont College News Channel 3-12.
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