|
Mike Maker |
Head Coach of Men's Basketball mjm2@williams.edu 413-597-2201 |
2009 -- Outright Little Three
Champions (1st since 1996)
2010 -- Outright Little Three Champions (1st back-to-back
outright titles since 1994-95 & 1995-96)
2010 -- First place in NESCAC regular season play -- 9-0
2010 -- Ties school record for most regular season wins -- 23
2010 -- NESCAC Champions
2010 -- NESCAC Coach of the Year
2010 -- D3Hoops.com Northeast Region Coach of the Year
2010 -- Sets Williams record for consecutive in-season wins: 20
2010 -- NCAA Sectional Champions
2010 -- Final Four
Mike Maker is entering his second year as the head coach of the Ephs. In his first campaign Maker led Williams (17-9) to its first outright Little Three title since 1996 when the Ephs closed out the 2008-09 regular season with an 89-78 win over archrival Amherst on the road.
Maker’s first meeting with the Williams team members came at Logan Airport in Boston as the Ephs assembled for a summer trip to Italy that had been scheduled prior to his hiring. The Italian trip afforded Maker a chance to get to see the returning players compete (first years are prohibited from foreign travel by NCAA rules), implement his system and get to know his players in a relaxed atmosphere.
Maker’s impact on his first Eph squad was dramatic as the players quickly gravitated to his player-centered approach that is high on teaching. Several key members of the 2008-09 Ephs made only token appearances the year before.
The 2008-09 Ephs were hampered by the loss to injuries of junior center Joe Geoghegan who was limited to just 11 games and 267 minutes of action.
Maker came to Williams from a year as an
assistant coach at Creighton University that saw the Bluejays
record 20 wins overall 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 Beilein in implementing the Two
Guard Offense, a derivative of the Princeton Offense and helped the
Mountaineers win the 2007 NIT and advanced to the Sweet 16 of 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 each year. He was also an Academic All-American at
California Baptist.
|
Ryan Wiersma |
Assistant Coach of Men's Basketball rsw1@williams.edu 413-597-4202 |
Ryan Wiersma is a 2009 graduate of Eastern Kentucky where he earned a B.A. in general studies/arts and sciences with a concentration in mathematics. Currently he is pursuing a Master’s degree from Eastern Kentucky in Physical Education-Sports Administration.
At Williams, he acts as the Recruiting Coordinator, assists the head coach with the offensive system, scouting opponents, monitoring academic progress; acts as film coordinator, and assists the head coach in camps, clinics, and community service events.
A native of Newark, Ohio Wiersma was a standout player at Newark
HS for three years before transferring to Hargrave Military Academy
for his senior year. At Hargrave Wiersma played on the National
Prep School championship team.
Wiersma has served on summer camp staffs at the John Bellein Camp
(West Virginia), University of Illinois Team Camp, the Jeff
Neubauer (EKU) and Travis Ford camps.
He appeared in 99 games at forward for the Eastern Kentucky
University Colonels. A serious injury sidelined Wiersma for the
2006-07 season, but he was able to re-join the Colonels team for
the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. During his career at EKU Wiersma
twice appeared in 30 games in a season -- 2004-05 & 2007-08 ...
He played for current Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford for one
season, then played for Jeff Neubauer, a former assistant of John
Beilein.
|
Shaun Morris |
Assistant Coach of Men's Basketball spm3@williams.edu 413-597-4202 |
Shaun Morris spent four years at Towson University working under head coach Pat Kennedy before arriving at Williams.
A volunteer assistant his first year at Towson, Morris was named Coordinator of Basketball Operations by Kennedy his second year and served in that capacity for two years before accepting the appointment as assistant coach.
At Williams, Morris acts as scheduling and travel coordinator, assists in recruiting, assists the head coach with the defensive system, scouting opponents, helps monitor academic progress, assists in managing budget and equipment and assists the head coach in camps, clinic, and community service events.
Morris was the captain of the Trinity HS [Camp
Hill, PA] 29-4 team that captured the 2001 state title, averaging
13.0 points, 7.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds. He was named
All-Conference and All-District and was a teammate of Eph standout
Drew DeMuth.
Morris attended Wheeling Jesuit University for one year before
transferring to Lycoming, where he was a three-year starter. Morris
helped lead the Warriors to a 53-27 record that included a MAC
Freedom Conference championship and a trip to the 2004 NCAA
tournament. He graduated as the Warriors’ all-time career
assist leader with 355. His 154 assists in 2004-05 remain the
single season program record. He also held the school record for
assists in a game with 10 against Delaware Valley and Marymount.
A senior captain at Lycoming Morris received
the school’s Academic Achievement Award for men’s
basketball. In his junior year Morris was named the Dutch Burch
Award winner, given for outstanding desire and defensive
intensity.
A Dean’s List student, Morris was also an active member of
the Institute of Management Studies at Lycoming, graduating with a
degree in marketing in 2005.







