PC names new men’s basketball head coach

Porterville College has announced Kyle Wallace as the Pirate’s new men’s basketball head coach for the upcoming 2023-24 season.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Coach Wallace join the Porterville Athletics family,” said PC Athletic Director Joe Cascio. “He has a tremendous coaching pedigree and proven success as both an assistant coach and head coach at this level. The future is very bright for PC Men’s Basketball with Kyle at the helm.”

Wallace, a former CCCAA state championship student-athlete and coach, brings experience from the high school and California community college levels.

“I feel extremely blessed, thankful, and excited to be the next head coach at Porterville College,” said Wallace. “These opportunities do not come often, and I thank Joe Cascio and Dr. Claudia Habib for entrusting me with this position.”

Wallace comes to Porterville from southern Orange County. Last season, he coached as a staff member at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita.

Before Santa Margarita Catholic, Wallace served as the head coach at Southwestern College in Chula Vista. During the 2021-22 season, he led the Jaguars to a 12-16 overall record and finished in fifth place out of 10 teams in the final Pacific Coast Athletic Conference standings at 9-7.

Wallace developed his coaching foundation while at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo under head coach Andy Ground. Following a standout prep career at Servite High School in Anaheim, Wallace played two seasons at Saddleback, reaching consecutive California Community College Athletic Association state championship finals while winning the title in 2010.

Wallace closed out his playing career at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas. He earned his bachelor’s degree before returning to Southern California to begin coaching.

Despite a late start, Wallace is excited to begin at Porterville College and hit the ground running toward the upcoming season.

“The first steps or priorities are to get out and recruit,” said Wallace. “We just have to go out and get the job done and bring in student-athletes committed to laying our foundation here at Porterville.”

Wallace looks to continue the recent successes of the PC Basketball program after consecutive Northern California Regional playoffs appearances over the past two seasons.

“Our goal is to put together a team of student-athletes that take care of business in the classroom,” said Wallace. “On the court, we will compete, play hard, play tough, and play a brand of basketball that will make the community of Porterville proud.

“There are no secrets to success,” he added. “We will grind and put in the work.”