Constructing A Champion - Hardy Asprilla
10/6/2020 12:18:00 PM | Men's Basketball, The Lancer Way
RIVERSIDE --- On this episode of 'Constructing A Champion' presented by Tovey Shultz Construction Inc., we dive into the life of associate head coach Hardy Asprilla, who joined the CBU men's basketball staff in 2013 and was promoted to his current title in the fall of 2017.
Asprilla, who was born and raised in Cúcuta, Columbia, enters his eighth season under head coach Rick Croy.
Asprilla's journey started when he was recruited to play at the College of the Sequoias before transferring and finishing his athletic career at Cal State Fullerton.
"We got on the plane, we flew to Dallas, and as soon as we landed, I still remember, the first thing we did was kiss the floor. We're here, we are in the states, we are going to do it, and we aren't going to look back," said Asprilla on coming to America.
In his two seasons with the Titans, he averaged 8.5 points and 8.8 rebounds before suffering a career-ending knee injury. Following his collegiate playing career, Asprilla spent time with the Colombian National Team, competing in numerous tournaments throughout South America and playing professionally with the Bucaros. He was named the finals MVP in leading the Bucaros to a national championship.
His coaching career began in 2005-06 when he spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Cal State Fullerton under head coach Bob Burton. He then joined Coach Croy at Citrus College as an assistant, where they went 57-8 during his two seasons there and won a pair of league titles and advanced to the state semifinals in 2010.
Asprilla made a move to Humboldt State as the lead assistant, helping the Jacks to a school-record 26-4 record and a California Collegiate Athletic Association title in 2010-11 and a 2208 mark in 2011-13, reaching the NCAA DII West Region Championships in both seasons.
Asprilla graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a bachelor's in Kinesiology in 2005 and later earned his master's in Kinesiology in 2009. He and his wife, Shannon, have a daughter, Livia, and a son, Levi.
