Maryville University has announced that St. Louis-native Marc Stricker has been named head coach of the Saints’ men’s basketball program. He graduated from CBC High School and returns to his hometown after spending the 2016-17 season at Oral Roberts University. Stricker previously worked two seasons for the Maryville basketball program as an assistant coach.
“I’m excited to welcome Marc back to Saints Nation and St. Louis,” Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Marcus Manning said. “In Marc, we have identified a leader who will continue to build recruiting relationships within the area, surrounding region and beyond, and develop our student-athletes on and off the court. He will give the men’s basketball program an opportunity to have sustainable success in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and, ultimately, graduate our student-athletes. Marc will provide our student-athletes a transformational experience at Maryville University.
“This was an exhaustive search,” Manning said. “Many thanks to our President, Dr. Mark Lombardi, the search and screen committee and other members of the campus community for devoting their time and energy to this process. I’m looking forward to having Marc as a teammate.”
“This is a dream come true for me to become the head coach at a top-notch university that competes in the best Division II league in the nation, right here in my hometown of St. Louis,” Stricker said. “Under the direction of Dr. Mark Lombardi, Maryville University has become one of the most innovative and progressive institutions in the nation, and I am humbled for the opportunity to lead this basketball program.
“When I was an assistant coach at Maryville, I was able to see the strategies and vision that Mr. Manning had for the athletic department and its facilities,” Stricker said. “I witnessed him execute those plans at a high level as he transformed the department and the facilities for various sports. I am thrilled that I now get the chance to be Mr. Manning’s teammate in transforming the basketball program. Getting to the NCAA tournament is possible at Maryville. I want to be a part of that, and do something that has never been done with this program at the Division II level. My wife, Christine, and daughters, Savannah and Kelley, and I can’t wait to move back home to St. Louis, and cheer for the Saints. They are all big basketball fans, and my girls love Louie!”
Last season at Oral Roberts, Stricker coached and helped Emmanuel Nzekwesi become The Summit League Freshman of the Year. Prior to ORU, he was an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois under head coach Jay Spoonhour. While at EIU, Stricker helped the Panthers win 18 games during the 2014-15 campaign, only the second winning season since 2001 as Eastern Illinois earned a ranking in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll. Eastern Illinois recorded a program-record nine-game winning and posted an undefeated mark against the Ohio Valley Conference West Division for the first time. The team capped the season with a berth in the CIT and recorded the program’s first postseason victory with a win over Oakland.
Stricker’s first stint with the Saints began with the 2011-12 season. The next year, he helped Maryville notch a school-record 23 wins and a runner-up finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference West Division. Sticker was a part of the staff when the Saints defeated No. 4 Bellarmine, Maryville’s first win over a nationally-ranked opponent.
Prior to his time at Maryville, Stricker served one season as head coach of the St. Louis Pioneers of the ABA. His team finished the season ranked No. 16 in the ABA Power Rankings and qualified for the playoffs after posting a 13-3 record with eight straight wins to close out the season.
Stricker played basketball at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2002. He also graduated with a master’s degree in higher education administration in 2005 from UMKC. Stricker finished his playing career at UMKC ranked in the top 10 in 3-point field goals and assists, and in the top 10 for single-season 3-point field goal percentage. He still holds the school record for most assists in a half (10) and in a game (13), and he remains 10th in program history with 226 assists and 110 made 3-pointers. Stricker was an Academic All-Conference selection, and was a three-time UMKC Dean’s List member. He was the recipient of the school’s David B. Milner Award given to the student-athlete who “through persistence and determination, has been an inspiration to others.”
During his standout prep career at CBC, Sticker was captain of the 1997 Missouri Class 4A state championship team that included standouts Larry Hughes and Justin Tatum. Stricker was an All-State selection and MCC Conference MVP in 1998.
