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.