Williams Athletic Director Harry Sheehy announced today (07/08/08) that Mike Maker, a 20-year coaching veteran (17 years in Division I) and currently an assistant at Creighton, has been named head coach of the Ephs' men's basketball team.

Sheehy, the all-time leader in wins in men's basketball at Williams with 324 in 17 years, is confident that he and his committee have selected just the right person to lead the Ephs. “I'm thrilled that Mike Maker will be the next basketball coach at Williams," said Sheehy. "He brings great basketball knowledge, work ethic, and enthusiasm to the position. He's worked with great coaches in some of the best programs in the country.
 
“Mike is a great match for Williams. He'll be a great addition to the community, athletic department, and the Williams basketball family.”

"I'm humbled and excited to be getting what I consider the opportunity of a lifetime," Maker said. "Williams has a great athletic tradition and is known around the world for its academics. I'm really looking forward to being around players who crave excellence in every area of their lives."

Maker has New England roots and his family is most excited for him to return to the region. "My dad was born and raised in Boston and I have a lot of family in the area and they're all as excited as I am about this job."

Maker intends to head east as soon as possible and has plans to use an aunt's house in Wakefield, Mass., as his base for recruiting in July. "We're a little bit behind in the recruiting process so I need to get right after it and get out to as many camps as soon as I can, but first I need to talk to the players at Creighton and Williams."

Maker began his coaching career at California Baptist College, where he was both an assistant coach and the JV coach from 1988 to 1990.

Maker comes to Williams from a year as an assistant coach at Creighton University that saw the Bluejays record 20 wins and 10 conference wins for the 10th straight year, a feat matched only by Kansas and Stanford.

Prior to joining Dana Altman's staff at Creighton, Maker spent two years at West Virginia (2005-07) as an assistant to John Beilein and three years at Samford University (2002-05). His longest tenure was an 11-year run as an associate coach at Dartmouth (1991-2002).

At West Virginia Maker assisted Beilin in implementing the Two Guard Offense, a derivative of the Princeton Offense and helped the Mountaineers win the 2007 NIT and advance to the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

While Maker was coaching at Samford under Jimmy Tillette, the Bulldogs ranked second nationally in 3-point field goals and seventh in field goal percentage in 2004-05 and they also ran a version of the Princeton Offense.

During his years at Dartmouth, Maker helped The Big Green snap Penn's 34-game home court win streak, one year after breaking Penn's 48-game conference win streak. 

Maker coached for one year at Hartnell College where he was the head coach of the women's team (1990-91).

Maker played his first two years of college basketball at Hartnell, where he earned an associate of arts degree in general education. He then transferred to California Baptist, graduating in 1988 with a B.S. in physical education. Maker earned a master's in education at Azuza Pacific in 1990.

Maker also played at California Baptist, serving as captain at both schools both years. He was also an Academic All-American at California Baptist.

Maker, who went on three foreign summer trips with Dartmouth, is looking forward to August when the Ephs will embark on a pre-planned two-week trip to Italy with the players who are returning from last year's roster. NCAA rules prohibit first-years from pre-season trips. The Ephs return three starters from last year's 17-8 team in senior co-captain Kevin Snyder a guard, junior center Joe Geoghegan, and junior swingman Blake Schultz.

"This will be a great opportunity for me to get to know the players and a chance for them to get to know me while we play some games and take part in cultural activities," noted Maker. "The basketball will be important because it'll be the first time I'll see the players in game conditions, but getting to know them and sharing the cultural aspects of the trip and bonding will be just as important."

Maker replaces Williams alum Dave Paulsen who left in May to become the head coach at Bucknell.