Mercer University head coach Bob Hoffman announced a pair of additions to his coaching staff on Friday, as Jason Eaker and Jarred Merrill have been named assistant coaches for the upcoming 2015-16 season.
The two will join a program that is in the midst of the most successful stretch in school history, after earning four-straight postseason appearances, three conference regular-season titles and one league tournament crown during that time. The Bears also claimed the first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, upsetting three-seeded Duke in one of the most memorable moments of the 2014 tournament.
“I have known Jason since I recruited him at Oklahoma Baptist,’ said Hoffman. ‘He is a hard worker that understands the game at a high level and makes our guys better in every individual workout because he accepts nothing but the best. That is what we strive to do as a program and he will embody that as an assistant, so we are excited to have him as a part Mercer basketball.”
Eaker spent the past two seasons as a graduate assistant for the Bears, helping Mercer put together 46 victories in that time including 27 wins during the program’s record-breaking 2013-14 campaign. A 12-year veteran of the collegiate basketball coaching ranks, Eaker assisted in Mercer’s player development and scouting efforts.
During his time at Mercer, he helped oversee the development of Atlantic Sun Player of the Year Langston Hall and A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year Daniel Coursey as well as all-conference performers Darious Moten, Ike Nwamu and Anthony White, Jr.
Eaker came to Mercer following a seven-year stint at Liberty, where he helped guide the Flames to one of the best stretches in program history including the first NCAA Tournament appearance (2013) in over a decade. He was instrumental in the recruitment and development of a talented group of players during that time, most notably 2009 Big South Freshman of the Year Seth Curry, 2012 Big South Player of the Year and All-American Jesse Sanders and 2013 Big South Tournament MVP Davon Marshall.
He earned his master’s degree in higher education leadership from Mercer in 2015 and a bachelor’s degree in history from Texas Pan American in 2004. An all-conference performer and two-year starter at Hardin-Simmons, Eaker resides in Macon with his wife, Meredith.
“Jarred played two years for me with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA D-League and is a very talented young man,” said Hoffman. “He has great experience at different levels of the pro ranks, which he will be able to bring to recruiting and individual workouts with our guys. His demeanor and attitude about the game will be tremendous for our program and we are thrilled to have him join our staff.”
Merrill arrives in Macon after two seasons as an assistant coach at Southern Nazarene, where he helped guide the Crimson Storm to a third-place finish at the 2014 National Christian Colleges of Athletic Association National Tournament. During his time at Southern Nazarene, Merrill also oversaw the development of 2013-14 GAC Newcomer of the Year and league scoring leader, CJ Smith, and 2014-15 All-Great American Conference selection LB Willis.
The 2005 NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Player of the Year native starred at Oklahoma Christian, where he holds the all-time scoring record (2,189 points) and ranks second on the school’s all-time rebounding list with 1,120 career boards. Merrill also set school records for single-season scoring (821 points), free throws made (259) and attempted (311), while owning the top marks in career field goals attempted (1,487) as well career free throws made (650) and attempted (795). He also shares the school record for career double-doubles with 59.
Jarred and his wife Candace have two children, a daughter, Jaya, and a son, Mannix. He earned a master’s degree in management from Southern Nazarene in 2015 after completing a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma Christian in 2005.
http://www.mercerbears.com/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/2015061928lg4c
