Micheal Cyprien has been hired as the assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, announced recently by first-year head coach Kyle Tolin.
Cyprien joins the UAM coaching staff following a three-year tenure as an assistant at Southeastern University, an NCAA Division I member of the Southland Conference. He was also a three-year letterwinner for the Lions, highlighted by a pair of Southland Conference championships.
During his time in Hammond, Louisiana, Cyprien helped coach three All-Southland players as well as an All-Louisiana and National Association Basketball Coaches Association All-District performer.
"I am grateful to be a part of the University of Arkansas at Monticello family," said Cyprien. "I know first had what Coach Tolin brings to the table as a basketball mind and he comes from a great family. It’s always great to work alongside someone you can trust and consider a friend. There is potential to do great things here and there is no doubt in my mind we can get it done."
"I am extremely excited that Mike is going to be on staff here at UAM," said Tolin. "I have known Mike since he got into the coaching business. He has all the intangibles that you look for in a good coach. He is loyal, hard worker, appreciative and is a winner. Mike has three years as an assistant at the NCAA Division I level and played on four good teams. He has a wealth of knowledge of the game and how we want to do things here at UAM. Mike is a high character individual who is going to help us lead boll weevil basketball in the right direction."
Cyprien began his collegiate coaching career in 2010 at Rogers State (Okla.) University where he helped the Hillcats to a 22-12 record, a No. 25 national ranking and a berth in the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship, where they advanced to the national quarterfinals. The Hillcats closed out the regular season winning 14 of their final 18 games, including wins over No. 10 Oklahoma Baptist and No. 12 Southern Nazarene over a five-day span.
He began his overall coaching career in Louisiana as he spent one season Hammond-based Shockas Boys and the Jefferson Playground All-Stars of the AAU.
Cyprien played in 47 games in his Southeastern career where he helped the Lions to a pair of Southland Conference championships and a berth in the 2005 NCAA Championships. Known as a defensive stopper, Cyprien played in 30 games and finished third on the team in steals as a junior. During his prep playing career, he was a three-year letterwinner and All-Orleans Parish selection at Cohen High School, where he averaged 14.8 points and five rebounds as a senior. He was a first-team All-District selection and team captain as a senior and was chosen to play for the Orleans Parish All-Star Team.
Cyprien graduated from Southeastern University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in industrial design.
Stay with HoopDirt for the latest college basketball coaching news and rumors.
