▁holds ▁the ▁highest ▁winning ▁percentage ▁of ▁any ▁Val d osta ▁State ▁basketball ▁coach ▁at ▁. 7 0 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁coach ▁Jimmy ▁Mel vin ▁took ▁over ▁with ▁continued ▁success ▁at ▁V SC . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁James ▁Dom ine y ▁became ▁coach . ▁After ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁Val ds ota ▁State ▁changed ▁its ▁mas cot ▁from ▁the ▁' R eb els ' ▁to ▁the ▁' B laz ers '. ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁the ▁Bla z ers ▁ups et ▁three - time ▁def ending ▁champions ▁Kentucky ▁State ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁NA IA ▁tournament . ▁T ▁Dom ine y ▁served ▁as ▁coach ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁after ▁ 2 9 ▁year ▁hold ▁the ▁most ▁wins ▁of ▁any ▁Val d osta ▁State ▁basketball ▁coach . ▁ ▁Jim ▁Y ar br ough ▁served ▁as ▁coach ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Mike ▁Hel fer ▁became ▁the ▁head ▁basketball ▁coach ▁at ▁VS U ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁Bla z ers ▁to ▁a ▁G ulf ▁South ▁Conference ▁East ▁Division ▁title ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 2 0 0 9 , ▁VS U ' s ▁first - ever ▁NCAA ▁Men ' s ▁Basketball ▁South ▁Regional ▁Title , ▁and ▁their ▁first ▁appearance ▁in ▁the ▁Division ▁II ▁El ite - E ight ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 – 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Women