Richard L Whitmore Head Men’s Basketball Coach

About Colby College

Colby is a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and has 32 intercollegiate sports that compete at the Division III level. Its department of athletics includes the campus recreation program and hosts a variety of club and intramural sports. More than one-third of Colby’s 2,300 students participate in intercollegiate sports and, in total, nearly three-quarters are involved in fitness and recreation activities in the department.

Colby’s Men’s Basketball program has a long-standing history of tradition. With just three head coaches in the span of over 55 years, the Mules have collected 18 All-American awards and seen 35 players reach 1000 career points in that stretch. Recently, Colby has reached the conference championship game twice in the span of four years, and earned an at large bid to the NCAA Division III tournament in 2020.

With an investment of over $250 million into Athletics in the last decade, Colby’s state-of-the-art athletics complex makes the facilities on Mayflower Hill a benchmark for all Division III institutions across the country. The Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center houses the Margaret M. Crook Center and the Whitmore-Mitchell Court, the home of Colby’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams. The 350,000 square-foot athletics center includes an indoor track and field competition center, aquatic center with Maine’s first 50-meter pool, squash center, hockey arena, a tri-level strength and fitness center, training rooms, and coaching suites. Additionally, the College opened a 70-acre-plus outdoor competition center that consists of eight competition and recreational fields that are also among the finest outdoor venues in Division III. The College has seen dramatic improvement in the Learfield Director’s Cup standings since the opening of the Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, elevating to the top-6% of Division III institutions in the yearly standings.

An additional distinguishing feature of Colby College’s Athletic Department is its Peak Performance Program, a comprehensive high-performing model designed to optimize student well-being and performance.  Peak Performance integrates sports medicine, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition and sports sciences.

Located in central Maine, the College has incredible access to other outdoor venues such as the Belgrade Lakes and Sugarloaf Mountain Resort, one of the premier ski destinations on the east coast.

Position Overview

The Colby College Department of Athletics seeks a full-time head coach of men’s basketball. In the context of Colby’s commitment to comprehensive excellence, the head coach is responsible for the leadership, direction, instruction, supervision, and coaching of a men’s basketball program that can compete consistently at the top of the NESCAC and Division III. The head men’s basketball coach is also responsible for building the men’s basketball team into a top program in NESCAC nationally and must be able to identify and develop athletes capable of achieving the highest level of success. The head coach will also be responsible for all aspects involved in running a basketball program, including budget management, travel, equipment needs, and supervision of assistant coaches. It is essential this person upholds the values of the College and the department while building athletes of character who contribute in the classroom and in the community.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for management and administration of an intercollegiate men’s basketball program that competes regularly for NESCAC championships.

• Create a dynamic and inclusive recruiting plan for the basketball program. Lead the effort to recruit the most high achieving student athletes, including those from geographically and demographically diverse populations.

• Analyze performance and successfully instruct athletes in game techniques and strategies in preparation for and during athletic competition.

• Develop student athletes of character who are committed to fostering a campus environment of respect and inclusion.

• Demonstrate the desire and initiative to learn new functions to advance coaching skills. Show commitment to excellence in carrying out duties and responsibilities.

• Mentor and coach future leaders by providing guidance, feedback and support to maximize performance and establish a supportive environment for professional development.

• Understand students’ academic needs, communicate with academic liaisons, identify any issues that may occur, and provide direction and guidance when necessary.

• Understand how resources such as money, time, technology, equipment, buildings, and people should be utilized to meet the program's strategic goals.

• Create strategies to successfully reach fundraising goals that are collaboratively developed between the head coach, director of athletics (or equivalent) and the director of Friends of Athletics.

• Enhance ongoing engagement with internal and external entities, including Friends of Colby Basketball, the C Club, and the greater Waterville community.

• Exercise effective upward, downward and horizontal communications with tact, courtesy and respect.

• Comply with all guidelines, rules, and regulations set forth by Colby College, the NESCAC, and the NCAA.

• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of a diverse workforce to the college’s overall success.

• A secondary responsibility within the Department of Athletics will be added, depending on the qualifications of the applicant.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.

• Experience working with a successful collegiate basketball environment preferred.

• Successful track record of fostering and maintaining working relationships with various athletic constituents.

• Working knowledge of rules and regulations governing collegiate basketball.

• Outstanding organizational, communication, writing, interpersonal, and analytical skills and the capacity to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to initiate, analyze, monitor, evaluate, and advance strategic planning.

• Ability to work independently and to exercise sound judgement and discretion.

• Demonstrated commitment to supporting the development of student athletes from varied backgrounds.

• Ability to work weekends and nights.

To perform successfully in this position, an individual must be able to perform essential duties satisfactorily as well as possess education/experience, employ the knowledge, skills, and abilities as listed in representative fashion. Colby College actively supports the Americans with Disabilities Act and will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. This listing of essential duties is not all-inclusive, but representative; other duties may be assigned.

Application Process

Colby College invites nominations and applications or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. Applications must include a cover letter, resume or curriculum vitae, and list of references. For full consideration, application materials should be submitted to Parker Executive Search’s website. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made.

For additional information, please contact:

Daniel Parker, Vice President and Managing Director

DeLaina Sarden, Principal

Gray McGee, Associate

dsarden@parkersearch.com | gmcgee@parkersearch.com

Parker Executive Search

770-804-1996 ext. 119 | 770-804-1996 ext. 132

Colby College is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, pregnancy, marital status, or national/ethnic origin in its education programs or employment. Title IX prohibits discrimination in employment activities.