MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

This is not a surprise at all. As I said the other day, the talk at the sectional this past weekend was when Wheaton would make this announcement, not if.

Congratulations to Bill upon his well-earned retirement, and upon a career at The King's College and Wheaton that was extremely successful by any yardstick. He put Wheaton back on the map in men's basketball after the program had suffered from decades of neglect, and he turned it into a conference and national power. His achievements have earned the respect of everyone in the local D3 community, and he will cast a long shadow upon his successor. Personally, I'm going to miss sitting in the bleachers with him during non-Wheaton games and talking shop with him. He's a very affable and approachable person and a fine Christian gentleman.

Speaking of Bill's successor, I'm laying even odds that it will be one of his proteges, Gordon College head coach Mike Schauer. Among other things, hiring Schauer will revive the Wheaton/Millikin rivalry.

[74impala]

Coach Harris came in and took a program that was mediocre at best, and turned it around.  I'm hoping his replacement has as much success.  

Thanks Coach Harris for a great run!

[thundermike]

As Greg said, this is not a huge surprise, though Wheaton is sad to see Coach Harris leave. He has been an outstanding coach and has had great success at Wheaton.

I have heard Schauer's name as a possible candidate.

[79jaybird]

Would Wheaton hire Nate Frank  as the head coach?  Nate and I have had some pretty good chats.  He's a first class guy.

[petemcb]

That's what I was wondering.  When I look through the Wheaton College website, it looks like Nate has been around the program a long time, has been a full-time assistant for three years, and this year seemed to be more actively involved in the in-game coaching.  Is it considered a done deal that the guy from Gordon would get the job or do people familiar with Wheaton know whether there would be an open job search?

[izzy stradlin]

Would Wheaton hire Nate Frank  as the head coach?  Nate and I have had some pretty good chats.  He's a first class guy.

I think Nate has a shot.  He doesn't have as much experience (he worked in the business world for a few years before returning to join Wheaton's staff),  but I think he has outstanding upside as a head coach especially because of his ability to relate to players in recruiting.   

[dansand]

I'd be interested to hear from the Wheaton folks if they think Matt Nadelhoffer is a possibility as well.

[thundermike]

Nate Frank and Mike Schauer are the two names I have heard of as possible candidates. We'll see what happens but both would be good choices

[titan2000]

This is not a surprise at all. As I said the other day, the talk at the sectional this past weekend was when Wheaton would make this announcement, not if.

Congratulations to Bill upon his well-earned retirement, and upon a career at The King's College and Wheaton that was extremely successful by any yardstick. He put Wheaton back on the map in men's basketball after the program had suffered from decades of neglect, and he turned it into a conference and national power. His achievements have earned the respect of everyone in the local D3 community, and he will cast a long shadow upon his successor. Personally, I'm going to miss sitting in the bleachers with him during non-Wheaton games and talking shop with him. He's a very affable and approachable person and a fine Christian gentleman.

Speaking of Bill's successor, I'm laying even odds that it will be one of his proteges, Gordon College head coach Mike Schauer. Among other things, hiring Schauer will revive the Wheaton/Millikin rivalry.

Hoew long has North Park been suffering from neglect?  Is it a decade yet? 

[Jim Matson]

Good one...

[usee]

First I join my fellow posters in congratulating Bill Harris on a fine career and thanking him for putting Wheaton basketball on the map. We were very bad for a long time and he raised the bar substantially. I just hope the school does the right thing and hires a top level replacement to keep the program running at a high level.

I think the short list for the Wheaton job has Schauer and Nate Frank on it. There may be a surprise as well. Who knows who will throw their hat into that ring. Matt Schauer was Harris' longtime assistant before Nate and then left to take the Gordon job. His return would not come as a surprise. I think the big issue is whether Nate Frank is ready. I would think he is but I don't have faith in the Wheaton administration to make that pick. I think the prodigal coach is too strong a pull and we will likely see Schauer return to the Wheaton bench. I think either Schauer or Nate would be fine choices. Sadly, it's not likely to be both.

[petemcb]

First I join my fellow posters in congratulating Bill Harris on a fine career and thanking him for putting Wheaton basketball on the map. We were very bad for a long time and he raised the bar substantially. I just hope the school does the right thing and hires a top level replacement to keep the program running at a high level.

I think the short list for the Wheaton job has Schauer and Nate Frank on it. There may be a surprise as well. Who knows who will throw their hat into that ring. Matt Schauer was Harris' longtime assistant before Nate and then left to take the Gordon job. His return would not come as a surprise. I think the big issue is whether Nate Frank is ready. I would think he is but I don't have faith in the Wheaton administration to make that pick. I think the prodigal coach is too strong a pull and we will likely see Schauer return to the Wheaton bench. I think either Schauer or Nate would be fine choices. Sadly, it's not likely to be both.

Are you saying that Nate would probably move on if Schauer got the job?  Is Nate actively looking for a head coach position? 

[usee]

Pete,

I don't claim any knowledge but I assume that Nate wants the head job and if he doesn't get it that's not usually a scenario the new coach wants to inherit. Also, a new coach usually wants his own guy on the bench with him.

[Above The Rim]

Most top assistant college coaches at all levels are always looking to move up to a head coaching position. Now that spring has sprung, expect to see a possible fury of activity within the coaching ranks in the next couple of months as head coaches announce their resignations or leave for other reasons, and top assistants scramble for the vacant head positions. Activity usually really picks up starting at the annual National Association of Basketball Coaches meetings held in conjunction with the DI Final Four each year, and continuing through the various rounds of on campus interviews following the initial contacts made at the convention.

[chairman]

Nate and Mike played together for two years under Harris, so it is not completely outside the realm of possibility that Schauer would keep Frank as his top assistant if he were to go for the job. There will likely be some surprise candidates as well.

When Wheaton Men's Soccer opened a couple years back, everyone figured they knew who was going to get the job, and it turned out that neither of the highly successful former assistants nor the current assistant, who basically ran the team in their run to the National Final under Bean got the job.  It would not surprise me to see Wheaton go outside the family on this hire either.