Eddie Alexander, who had been an assistant coach with the Beacons for the past two seasons, has been asked to stay on as the Interim Head Coach for the 2018-19 season.

Alexander replaces Luke Jackson, who resigned earlier this week.

A well-known AAU coach, Alexander has been the director of Dribble Drive Basketball for fifteen years. Dribble Drive, a program which Alexander founded, is known for their high intensity on defense, aggressive offensive style and for developing high levels of basketball IQ in their players. Coach Alexander is also currently working as the High School Boys Club/Elite Team Coordinator for Total Release Basketball. Alexander’s son, Jordan, was a four-year member of the Beacons and just graduated from NCU.

Coach Alexander said, “I am very excited and humbled by the opportunity to lead the men’s basketball team at NCU. I want to thank the administration, especially Vice President Michael Fuller and Athletic Director Corey Anderson for their faith, trust, and support moving forward.

“I look forward to building on the tremendous foundation built by Coach Dave Lipp and taking the baton from Coach Jackson in moving the program forward. I feel like I have been a part of this program since Coach Lipp brought our son Jordan in as part of the family as a nine-year-old to attend practices and meet the players. It was a foreshadowing of Jordan’s future career as a Beacon and now, to have the opportunity to lead the program I love, it is truly an honor.”

Athletic Director Corey Anderson said, “Eddie’s coaching experience and knowledge of the NCU community have put him in a unique position to be able to have an immediate impact on our current roster while also focusing his efforts during this crucial time of recruiting and summer workouts. Eddie is a strong man of faith, a tireless worker, a strong communicator and is extremely organized. We are all very excited to see where Coach Alexander and Coach Mayernik will lead us in the immediate future.”

Alexander also announces that former NCU All-American Jay Mayernik will join him as his assistant coach. Mayernik has also coached with Alexander within the Dribble Drive Basketball program for the past year.

Mayernik comes back to NCU just 15 months after leading the Beacons to their second consecutive Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship in 2017. He was named the CCC Player of the Year and went on to become the first Beacon ever to garner NAIA First-Team All-American honors. Starting all 31 games for the Beacons, Mayernik averaged a double-double with 15.7 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. His rebounding total led the NAIA Division II and was the top-15 among all collegiate men’s basketball players.

I am honored and extremely humbled to become part of the NCU coaching staff,” said Mayernik. “I would like to thank Eddie, Corey Anderson, and the entire NCU administration for giving me this opportunity. NCU is a place that is very near and dear to my heart and I couldn’t be more excited to get started.”

“I am thrilled to add Jay as my first assistant coach,” said Alexander. “He has already been a proven asset at Dribble Drive and his intensity, attention to detail, and leadership abilities will serve this program well.”