In 17 seasons Charlens averages over 20 wins per season, which is unmatched in the PCAC in the last 30 years. Coach Charlens returned to the Knights in 2022 after spending the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach with the University of San Diego men's basketball team. Rebuilding the Knights after his absence was in fact no rebuild. The Knights went 24-6, going farther than any conference team in the playoffs to reach the sweet 16. In the previous 16 seasons as head coach of the men's basketball team at San Diego City College, Mitch Charlens led the Knights to two straight state title games in 2017 and 2018 and their first ever state championship in 2016-17. Since Charlens’ took over the Knights have won eight Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championships (2005, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018) and made a CCCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2009. Charlens has reached the 20-win mark seven times, including eight of the last nine seasons when they also advanced to at least the second round of the post season. They also surpassed the 30-win mark in 2016-17 and 2017-18. Charlens' 2016-17 team was the most successful in school history. The Knights went undefeated (10-0) in the PCAC South for the second consecutive season and won those conference games by an average of 21.2 points. They finished the season by winning their last 17 games, including five in the playoffs, en route to the CCCAA state championship, the first for any San Diego school.  With four returning sophomores, the 2017-18 team continued the success and returned to the state championship final while achieving the best record in school history (33-3). They went undefeated (10-0) in the PCAC South for the third straight year, and the fourth time in the last five seasons, compiling a 42-2 conference record in that five-year span. The 2017-18 team also went on a school record 26-game win streak that led them to a second straight state championship game.  That team was led by Robert McCoy who was named PCAC South Player of the Year and CCCMBCA Southern California Player of the Year. He became the eighth Knight to be named to the All-State team. He was also selected to the All-State Championship Tournament Team along with Ethan Esposito.  McCoy joins Malcolm Thomas (2008-09), Terrence Boyd (2010-11), Stephon Lamar (2011-12), Martin Thomas (2013-14), Leonard Allen (2015-16), Taylor Nelson (2015-16), and Darien McClain (2016-17) to earn all-state honors. Charlens has been named PCAC Coach of the Year seven times (2005, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018) and was awarded as the CCCAA State Coach of the Year in 2009.  Now in his 18th season, Coach Charlens has created a winning basketball program at San Diego City College. In June of 2004, Charlens took over a program without a gym of its own, no returning players, and coming off a seven-win season the previous year. No problem; Coach Mitch Charlens achieved the state’s best record (28-3) and a final four appearance with Head Coach Rusty Smith at College of the Sequoias in 2003-04, so the SDCC job wasn't too great a challenge for Charlens.   With a month and a half to field a team, Charlens built a foundation instilling pride, respect, accountability, solid work ethic, and honor into each member of his program. In Charlens' first year, the Knights finished with an 18-10 overall record (10-0 at home) and a 12-2 conference record which earned them the 2004-05 Pacific Coast Conference Championship. The team also advanced to postseason play where they went on to reach the second round of the state playoffs. In addition, the team's success brought upon three All-Conference Player selections and a Coach of the Year for All Sports award in the Pacific Coast Conference for Coach Charlens. In 2008-09, Charlens led the Knights to their most prosperous season in school history at the time. The Knights finished 28-5 overall and won the Pacific Coast Conference championship with a 15-1 record. Charlens' Knights won two Southern California Regional playoff games to reach the Final Eight of the CCCAA playoffs for the first time ever. Individual success was also found during the '08-'09 season as Charlens was named the men's basketball Coach of the Year by the PCC and was also honored by the CCCAA as its State of California Co-Coach of the Year. The Knights had three First Team All-PCC selections, two Honorable Mention selections and a PCC Player of the Year award for Malcolm Thomas who also earned the CCCAA Co-MVP and made First Team All-State. In addition, a total of eight players from the '08-'09 Knights received full-ride scholarships from 4-year schools. Coach Charlens, a San Diego native, is extremely pleased that coaching has brought him home. He played basketball at University City High School in San Diego and then moved on to play at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. While at Saddleback, Coach Charlens helped lead the Gauchos to back-to-back Orange Empire Conference championships and a Final Eight Appearance. Building on his accomplishments in the community college system, Charlens went on to play at San Francisco State University. Coach Charlens had highlights throughout his career and ended his playing career by scoring 20 points with five three-pointers against UC Davis, that years’ National Champion. Once his playing days were over, Charlens entered the business world. Realizing that was not his passion, Coach Charlens returned to basketball by coaching the Varsity Boys at Lowell High School in San Francisco. The following season he became an assistant coach at SFSU. He was then brought on as an assistant at Chico State University before coaching at College of the Sequoias for two years.   In 2021-22, Charlens became an assistant coach at the University of San Diego. He has now coached at the Division I, II, junior college, and high school levels for over 25 years. Being in the West Coast Conference coaching against the likes of Gonzaga's Mark Few, St. Mary's Randy Bennett, BYU's Mark Pope, and Pepperdine's Lorenzo Romar was a great experience for Mitch Charlens.   Serving as the defensive coordinator for the Torreros, Charlens was responsible for practice preparation and implementing the defenses, running drills, scout, film, personnel, and all aspects of the program. As a seasoned coach with over 25 years of coaching winning programs, Charlens was highly involved with all aspects of team culture building, as that's what he mastered at while at City College. With Coach Charlens on staff, USD won 15 games and beat Pepperdine in the first round of the WCC tournament after winning only three games in 2020-21. Coach Charlens earned his Bachelor's degree in Psychology at San Francisco State University and his Master's degree in Physical Education at Chico State University. He resides in San Diego with his wife Dr. Erin Charlens (Counselor at SDCC), sons Brandon and Jay, and daughter Chloe. - All-Time Wins Leader in San Diego City College Men’s Basketball History (349) - 2017 California Community College Athletic Association State Champions (31-5) - 2018 California Community College Athletic Association State Runner-up (33-3) - Back to Back State Finals Appearances (2017, 2018) - Back to Back most wins in the state (2017, 2018) - Broke School Record for wins 3 times (2009, 2017, 2018) - 6 Sweet 16 Appearances - 3 Elite Eight Appearances (2009, 2017, 2018) - 2 Final Four Appearances (2017, 2018) § 2017-2018 Preseason Ranked #1 in the State - 2018 Earned the #1 Overall Seed for the California State Playoffs - 7 time Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Champions (2005, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018) - 7 time Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year - 4 time Undefeated Conference Champions (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018) - In 14 years- 10 All-State Player Selections - More than 10 former players have gone on to play professionally (NBA, Europe, China, Russia, South America, Australia…) - 2017 Overall Team GPA of 3.4, 8 City College Scholar-Athlete Awards - 2018 Overall Team GPA of 3.5, 9 City College Scholar-Athlete Awards - 2018 Athlete – Robert McCoy named California Community College State Player of the Year - 2017 Athlete – Darien McClain named MVP of the State Championship Tournament - Only California Community College in San Diego County to win the Men’s Basketball State Title - Of the 114 Community Colleges in CA, only 29 have ever won the Men’s Basketball State Title - Transferred more Division 1 Athletes to universities than any other program in the region - 2009 State Coach of the Year- California Community College Men’s Basketball Coaches Association - 2005 Pacific Coast Conference Male Coach of the Year – All Sports