April 28, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -
Mike Maker, who spent the previous three seasons as an assistant men's basketball coach at Samford University, has accepted a similar position at West Virginia under head coach John Beilein, it was announced Thursday.
"I'm humbled by the opportunity to join Coach Beilein and to coach at West Virginia," said Maker. "Not only is Coach Beilein an excellent basketball coach, but he's an even better person. I've been a big fan of his character for years."
As a vital member of Samford coaching staff, Maker scouted and compiled game plans for opposing teams, and assisted in the on-court coaching duties. The Bulldogs accumulated a solid 26-22 conference record during Maker's three-year tenure and registered three-consecutive postseason appearances.
Last season, Samford finished with a 15-13 overall record and compiled a 10-6 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play. Prior to the season, the Bulldogs were tabbed as the 10th-place team in the conference's preseason polls, but finished fourth in the league's final standings and hosted a first-round tournament game.
"Mike has had a huge positive impact on our program during the three years that he's been here," said Tillette. "He is going to be sorely missed here at Samford and we all wish him well in his future endeavors."
Samford finished the 2004-05 campaign ranked among the top-10 teams in the nation in numerous statistical categories, including 3-point field-goal percentage (41.9), field-goal percentage (50.3) and personal fouls per game (14.7). The Bulldogs were second in the country in 3-point field-goal percentage, seventh in field-goal percentage and eighth in personal fouls per game.
West Virginia, which reached the NCAA Tournament's "Elite Eight" in 2005, had an assistant coaching position vacated when former assistant coach Jeff Neubauer earned the head coaching position at Eastern Kentucky on April 11.
"I believe one of the primary reasons for my success in coaching has been the quality assistants that we've had," said Beilein. "Mike is no exception in that category. When I started at Richmond, my final two choices for an assistant were Jeff Neubauer and Mike Maker. Mike reminds me so much of Jeff - he has a keen eye for talent and knows how we like to play."
Maker, 39, was the associate head coach at Dartmouth College for 11 years prior to his highly-productive three-year stint at Samford. While at Dartmouth, Maker served as the recruiting coordinator and director of scouting and also assisted with practice, game preparation and scheduling.
During his time at Dartmouth, the Big Green snapped Pennsylvania's 34-game home conference winning streak by posting a thrilling 74-70 overtime win over the Quakers in 1997. The victory marked the first time that Dartmouth won on the road against Pennsylvania since the 1983-84 season. Dartmouth also broke Pennsylvania's 48-game Ivy League winning streak with a one-point victory in 1996.
In 1999, Maker helped coach the nation's leading 3-point shooter, Greg Buth, as well as Ian McGinnis, who led the nation in rebounding over the course of the season. Maker also directed three-time, First-Team All-Ivy League players Shaun Gee and Sea Lonergan.
Before his 11-year stint at Dartmouth, Maker spent one season as the head women's basketball coach at Hartnell Community College in his hometown of Salinas, Calif. Prior to his time at Hartnell, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach and head junior varsity coach at his alma mater, California Baptist College in Riverside, Calif.
A current member of the North Salinas High School Hall of Fame, Maker continued his playing career at Hartnell College, where he played for two seasons prior to transferring to California Baptist. At California Baptist, he earned a bachelor's of science degree in physical education in 1988. Maker then went on to earn his master's degree in education from Azusa Pacific University in 1990.
Tillette said that he does not have an approximate time frame on finding a replacement, but that he will hire the best possible candidate.
