Coach Vigen Jilizian begins his fourth season as head basketball coach of the Glendale College Men’s Basketball program. He leads a program with a longstanding history of pride, excellence, and competitive tradition. Prior to this season, coach Jilizian had served as Assistant Coach of the Men’s Basketball team for eight years. He has been a valuable asset to long-time and legendary Hall of Fame Coach Brian Beauchemin, helping him record 125 of his 594 career victories…including his milestone 500th career victory in 2008.

Before his coaching career at Glendale College, Coach Jilizian was the Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach at his alma mater, Hoover High School, in Glendale, California from 2002 to 2006. He led the Tornados of Hoover High in back to back 20-win seasons in his final two years…reaching the CIF playoffs in three of his four seasons as coach. Prior to 2002, coach Jilizian served as an assistant coach to long-time Alhambra High School, Hall of Fame coach, Joe Petralia. Helping coach Petralia lead the Moors to multiple conference championships from 1997 to 2002.

Coach Vigen Jilizian has grown up in Glendale, California and has now been a player, as well as coach, of both his high school and college basketball teams. While attending Hoover High School from 1985 to 1988, he was captain of the Varsity team in his Junior and Senior years…earning spots on both the L.A. Times and Glendale News-press all-area teams. He than went on to a very successful career as point guard for Coach Beauchemin’s Glendale College teams in 1989 and 1990. As a player at Glendale College his teams won over 20 games in both seasons, culminating with a 24-win season in 1989-90 and a trip to the Elite Eight of the State Tournament. In his two seasons as a player at Glendale College, coach Jilizian holds the school records for most career assists (436), most assists in a single season (260), most assists in a single game (15), and highest career assist average (7.2).

Upon his playing career at Glendale College, coach Jilizian transferred to the University of California, Davis, graduating in 1993, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a Minor in Political Science. He received his California Teaching Credential from Point Loma College in 1998, and his Master’s Degree in Sports Science and Administration from Concordia University in 2008. Coach Jilizian has been a teacher in the Social Science department at Hoover High School for the past 12 years, as well as an adjunct faculty member of the Physical Education department at Glendale College for the past 10 years.