Jason Chainey joined the Cougars' coaching staff in March of 2019.
Coming to the Palouse from Parkinson, Queensland, Australia, Chainey spent over two decades coaching at the highest levels in Australian professional basketball. Just prior to joining the Cougars' coaching staff, Chainey was an assistant coach with the Adelaide Lightning in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). The stint with the lightning would be his second stop in the WNBL after spending five years with the Logan Thunder including four years as the team's head coach. In 2013, Chainey's work on the bench would earn him recognition as a finalist for the WNBL Coach of the Year award. Additionally, Chainey spent his final two years with the Thunder coaching the likes of Associate Head Coach Laurie Koehn who was winding down an 11-year professional career.
When not coaching in the WNBL, Chainey coached in the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) with the South West Metro Pirates as well as the Bundaberg Bears. It was with the Bears that Chainey was recognized as the Southern Cross Women's Head Coach of the Year in 2004. In addition to coaching in the professional ranks. Chainey has extensive experience in the Australian youth system coaching the Queensland U20 Team for four years. Known for his player development skills, Chainey spent three years as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA during the team's training camps in 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2016-17.
Chainey graduated with an associate diploma in business marketing from Yeronga Institute of Tafe in Brisban in 1996. He would go on to earn his diploma in management/human resource management from the University of Southern Qld, Russo Institute of Technology in Brisbane in 2000. Chainey and his wife Suzy have two children, Isabella and Jack.
