Rick Scruggs has stepped down as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Mars Hill University due to personal reasons. His departure from the Lions’ basketball program is effective immediately.

Scruggs was in his fifth season with the Lions. In his 29-year head coaching career, he has compiled a 409-411 record. He began his head coaching career at North Greenville in 1986. At North Greenville, he led the squad to a school-record 30 wins in 1989 as well as the NJCAA National Tournament. He was enshrined in North Greenville’s athletic hall of fame in 1999. He then took over the helm at Belmont Abbey in 1989 and after two years assumed the head job at Pikeville in 1991. After three years at Pikeville, Scruggs spent one year at Milligan before taking over the program at Gardner-Webb in 1995. He coached 15 successful years at Gardner-Webb before leaving that program in 2010. During his stint at Gardner-Webb, Scruggs was named the South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year in 2000 and helped transition the team to the NCAA Division I level in 2000-01. He was selected the 2005 Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year. After departing from Gardner-Webb, Scruggs was the Associate Head Coach at Appalachian State during 2010-11 season.

Mars Hill has appointed current men’s basketball assistant coach Vic Finora as Interim Head Coach. Coach Finora is in his second season with the Lions. Prior to coming to Mars Hill, Finora spent five years as the assistant women’s basketball coach at fellow SAC member Coker College.  Before his stint at Coker, Finora was the head coach for three KR Basketball Club teams in Iceland. He also was an assistant coach for the Men’s Professional Team of the Iceland Express League.

Prior to his time in Iceland, Vic served as an assistant coach at Alabama A&M University and also saw time as a graduate assistant at the University of Kentucky and Georgetown College.  Finora also has experience at the high school level, where he was the assistant varsity boys coach for Lakeshore Catholic High School in Ontario, Canada.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from William Penn University, where he earned a B.A. in Business Management and Sports Administration.  While at William Penn he was a three-year player.  Upon graduation Vic earned his master’s degree from the University of Kentucky, where he earned an M.S. in Sports Leadership and Coaching.

http://www.marshilllions.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/releases/20161122icqk9c