Josh Pastner Named to “40 Under 40” List

University of Arizona men’s basketball assistant coach Josh Pastner has been named to the Tucson Business Edge’s “40 Under 40” list for 2007.  The honor recognizes local business leaders under 40 years of age.

 

Pastner, 29, was included on this year’s list of honorees who have achieved success in business or the community before their 40^th birthday.  The annual list not only recognizes recipients for professional success, but community involvement, public service, and participation in trade groups or professional organizations.

 

“It’s a great honor to be recognized,” said Pastner, “but it’s more important to be able to contribute to the community.  I thank Coach Olson and the University of Arizona for allowing me to get involved and to stay involved with the people of Tucson.”

 

The third-youngest honoree on the list, Pastner is involved in a wealth of charitable organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, Boy Scouts of America, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Naval Special Warfare Foundation and the Special Olympics to name a few.

 

Pastner has been a part of the Arizona basketball program as a player and administrator since 1996.  Since becoming an assistant coach in April 2002, he spearheads the Wildcats' recruiting efforts and works with the program's big men.  His work on the recruiting trail continues to pay big dividends for the program by successfully recruiting the nation’s best student-athletes.  Arizona’s recruiting classes have been among the best nationally in each of his five seasons as a full-time member of the coaching staff.  In June of 2005, rivals.com’s Chris Wallace named Pastner one of college basketball’s top 25 recruiters.

 

Pastner received his undergraduate degree in two‑and‑a‑half years in December 1998, and his master's degree the following year, and started work on his doctorate.  Despite taking as many as 33 units a semester while at Arizona, his high grade point average earned him a nomination for the CoSIDA/GTE Academic All‑America team and Academic All‑Pac‑10 Second Team honors as a senior in 2000.