Joseph Charles Golding may be the head men’s basketball coach at UTEP today, but his story has roots that run straight through Eufaula, Oklahoma. Golding— born in 1975— grew up surrounded by a family of coaches and athletes, including his grandfather and great-uncle, both proud Eufaula graduates who built powerhouse legacies in Oklahoma and Texas. That competitive spark clearly passed on.

Golding starred as a point guard at Abilene Christian University from 1994–98, then traded his jersey for a whistle and immediately launched into a coaching climb marked by grit, discipline, and a never-quit mentality. He cut his teeth at South Garland, Seminole State, Collin College, and Sachse High before joining college staffs at Abilene Christian and Arkansas–Little Rock. In Little Rock, he helped lead the Trojans to a Sun Belt championship and the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

But Golding’s defining chapter came when he took over his alma mater in 2011. He inherited a struggling program, weathered multiple losing seasons, and guided ACU through the brutal transition to Division I. His perseverance paid off—big. Under his leadership the Wildcats captured two Southland Conference titles and made history with their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, highlighted by a stunning upset of Texas in 2021.

That toughness and tenacity earned him the head job at UTEP in 2021, where he continues to build a reputation as a program-changer.

Golding also carries Eufaula pride everywhere he goes. His grandfather, Joseph Lester Golding, a former Eufaula Ironhead, became a legendary Texas high school coach with four state championships and a stadium named in his honor. His great-uncle, Joseph Griffith Golding, another Eufaula standout, became an All-American at OU and played five seasons in the NFL.

From small-town Oklahoma roots to college basketball’s biggest stages, Joe Golding’s journey reads like a playbook built on heritage, hustle, and heart— just the way Eufaula likes it.