REDLANDS, Calif. - The University of Redlands Men's Basketball program is pleased to announce the hiring of Jalen Kellams as the new Assistant Coach under Head Coach Eric Bridgeland.

Redlands is coming off the best season in program history and within the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), posting a 25-5, 14-2 SCIAC record, being crowned the 2024-25 SCIAC Regular Season Co-Champions, making a historic run to the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 and finishing the season ranked No. 7 in the NCAA Division III National polls.     

Coach Kellams joins the Bulldogs with a growing reputation as a passionate and detail-oriented basketball mind, bringing energy, recruiting insight, and player development expertise to a Redlands program looking to continue its rise under Coach Bridgeland's leadership.

"We're super ecstatic to add Jalen to our staff," Bridgeland explained. "Team athletics is designed to teach life skills in a group environment. Jalen embodies this mission - even his LinkedIn title is "to help others grow." Jalen will add value to our relationship-based program immediately. Additionally, Jalen is a basketball junkie; it's all he thinks about and loves doing. With some experience under his belt, Jalen's work-ethic will enable him to accomplish whatever he wishes within the college basketball framework."

A native of Bakersfield, Calif., Kellams joins the Bulldogs after two successful seasons as an assistant coach at North High School in Bakersfield. During his tenure, the North Stars captured back-to-back CIF Central Section Championships in 2024 and 2025, marking one of the most successful stretches in program history.

Prior to his time at North, Kellams graduated from Independence High School before earning a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, Bakersfield.

Kellams expressed his enthusiasm about joining the Redlands staff: "It's an honor to be a part of such a respected institution and basketball program. Coach Bridgeland has built something special here, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute to its continued growth. I'm ready to get to work."

As the Bulldogs gear up for the upcoming season, Kellams will play a key role in recruiting, on-court instruction, and mentoring student-athletes—contributing to a culture that values hard work, integrity, and championship-level commitment.