Raru Archer

Raru Archer was named assistant coach at Long Beach State in June 2023.

Archer brings 15 years of coaching experience to Long Beach State as he comes to the Beach after spending four years at Sam Houston State as an assistant coach. At SHSU, Archer coached 2022 All-WAC First Team selection Faith Cook and 2023 All-WAC Second Team selection and 2022 All-WAC Defensive Team selection Maddie Batista. Under his tutelage, the Bearkats won a program-record nine-straight games and finished the 2019-20 season with the most wins in school history (14). He also mentored 2021 Southland Player of the Year Amber Leggett before the Kats’ move to the WAC.

Prior to his time at Sam Houston State, Archer worked for Texas Grassroots Basketball. He went on to serve as the men’s basketball assistant coach at Ranger College where he helped the squad to a NJCAA Region V Runner-up finish.

Archer also gained experience coaching on the men’s side at Norfolk State where he worked primarily with the guards. At NSU, he coached Pendarvis Williams and Malcolm Hawkins to All-MEAC Second Team accolades.

As the head men’s basketball coach at Lackawanna College, Archer’s squad won the 2012 NJCAA Region XIX Championship. While at Lackawanna, Archer led his team to three-straight regular season titles and was named 2012 NJCAA Region XIX Coach of the Year.

A native of Trinity, Texas, Archer was an All-State selection at Trinity High School before graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in human performance from Texas Southern in 2004 and 2007 respectively.