NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion women’s basketball head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones announced on Thursday that Josh Pace has joined her staff as an assistant coach.
“We are very excited to have Josh bring his bright basketball mind and tremendous work ethic to our program. Josh will be a welcomed addition to my staff as a coach, recruiter and person,” said Milton-Jones.
Pace was most recently the head women’s basketball coach at NCAA Division II Western New Mexico University for the past four seasons. He led the Lady Mustangs to a 10-win season in 2022-23, the first time in six years the program posted double-digit wins. In 2023-24, the team had their best start in eight years as they began the season 6-0. Pace’s team earned a 3.0 GPA or better in all four seasons he was there. Hired as an associate coach in August 2019, he took over the program in March 2020.
Prior to his time in Silver City, New Mexico, Pace spent four years as an assistant coach at Pepperdine, to include two seasons on Milton-Jones’ staff during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.
A four-year letterwinner at Syracuse, he helped the Orange capture the 2003 National Championship his sophomore year, scoring a season-high 14 points against Auburn in the Sweet 16 and 12 points in a semifinal win over Texas. He netted eight points with eight rebounds in the national title game versus Kansas. As a senior in 2004-05, he was awarded the Big East Conference’s Sportsmanship Award, was named an All-Big East Honorable Mention and earned a spot on the Big East All-Tournament Team.
Pace also played professionally both in the United States and overseas for 10 years. Undrafted out of college, he was invited to join the Utah Jazz for the 2005 summer league before signing with the Nelson Giants in New Zealand. That first year saw him earn NBL All-Star honors after averaging 19.1 points per game. Following stints in Finland and New Zealand in 2006-07, he played for the East Kentucky Miners of the CBA in 2008 and secured All-CBA Second Team honors after leading his team with 23.0 ppg.
In 2008-09, he won the Estonian National Championship and Estonian National Cup with BC Kalev/Cramo. Pace played for the ABA’s Southeast Texas Mavericks during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons and spent the offseason with New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay Hawks. He signed with the Manawatu Jets in 2012 and led the NBL in scoring with 23.1 ppg.
Pace returned to the Nelson Giants for the 2013 and 2014 seasons while also competing for the Townsville Crocodiles in Australia. As a player for the Shreveport-Bossier Mavericks, he helped the team to an undefeated season and the 2015 ABA Championship before starting his coaching career.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank Coach Milton-Jones for this opportunity. The ODU women’s basketball program is prestigious and historic in the women’s basketball landscape. I am very excited to get to Norfolk and get to work,” said Pace.