Ground Becomes Second Saddleback Coach to be Inducted in the CCCMBCA HOF

Andy Ground’s coaching career has spanned over 30 years. But his most impactful years was spent roaming the sidelines at Saddleback College.

Ground, who is currently an assistant coach with the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, is known for replacing Hall of Fame coach Bill Brummel. Ground lead the Bobcats to state titles in 2010 and 2015, finishing state runner-up in 2009 and 2016 and making it to the state semifinals in 2011. Ground was the state coach of the year in 2011, 2015 and 2016 and the Orange Empire Conference male-sport coach-of-the-year for 2014-15.  

In his 20 years at Saddleback, Ground would rack up eight conference titles, including five straight, 11 post-season appearances and 8 trips to the state tournament. Overall, he concluded his time in the California Community College system with a 307-106 record. He had over 100 players transition to four-year institutions. Seven of his former assistants are now head coaches or assistants at the four-year level.

Ground also played at Saddleback during the 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons under Brummel before earning a scholarship to play at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. He later played professionally in Lima, Peru, and in Bonn, Germany.

He began his coaching career at Tustin High School as the varsity boys coach for seven seasons, compiling a 154-49 record with three league titles and post-season playoff appearances in each of those seven seasons. Five of his teams reached the CIF quarterfinal round.

Ground joined the community college coaching circle in 1999 when he returned to Saddleback as an assistant. He quickly proved to be an outstanding recruiter. He spent seven seasons as an assistant coach before being named co-head coach for the 2006-07 season. In those eight seasons he helped guide the Gauchos to a 215-51 overall record, five Orange Empire Conference titles, and two conference runner-up finishes. Saddleback participated in the post-season in each of those years, reaching the state tournament semifinals five times and winning the college’s first-ever state title for men’s basketball in 2001-02.

For the 2007-08 season, Ground was an assistant coach at Irvine Valley College, helping the Lasers to a 27-5 overall record and a runner-up finish in the Orange Empire Conference. He returned to Saddleback in 2009 to lead the program which he did for 11 years. After leaving Saddleback, Ground bounced around, leading San Diego City for a season and then served as a high school assistant. In 2025, he signed on to become an assistant at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay.

Hall of Fame/Championship Dinner will be held on March 12 at the Visalia Marriott at the Convention Center. Tickets can be purchased here.