Illinois Institute of Technology Men’s Basketball coach Enzley Mitchell IV announced today the addition of Orlandus Thomas, Craig Shaman and Mike Vander Heyden to the Scarlet Hawks men’s basketball coaching staff. Thomas and Shaman will serve as assistant coaches and Vander Heyden will be Mitchell’s Director of Basketball Operations.
The following are brief bios on each new member of Mitchell’s staff.
Orlandus Thomas is a well-known and respected high school basketball coach in Chicago and equally known for helping many area students attend college through his showcases, exposure events and AAU program.
Prior to arriving at IIT, Thomas has served as an assistant coach at both Crete-Monee High School and Lincoln Park High School, before becoming a head coach at Noble Street College Prep and Gary Comer College Prep. It was at Gary Comer where he started his own Martin Luther King tournament, and built a program from the ground up. Thomas also founded his own AAU program, The Windy City Spartans, where all of his players have either graduated with college degrees or currently on track to graduating. Thomas has also hosted exposure showcases that have helped many student athletes receive scholarships into college.
Thomas also started his own non-profit organization, Change for the Better, a community service program designed to show communities how to establish healthier habits and lead a healthier lifestyle. Thomas received his B.A. in Physical Education from Chicago State University in 2006, and is currently the physical education/health teacher at Gary Comer College Prep.
Craig Shaman brings over 20 years of coaching experience to the Scarlet Hawks and is currently in his second year as Athletic Director at CICS-Ellison High School
Shaman spent the years 2007-2009 at DePaul University working with the Men’s Basketball Program. Under the tutelage of Jerry Wainwright, Shaman served as Assistant Director of Basketball Operations/Video Coordinator. His duties included directing the entire video program, assisting with practice and game planning, assisting with player development, and coordinating all camps and community service programs.
Shaman came to DePaul from Chicago State University, where he served for three years as an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach. His duties included on the floor coaching in games and practices, coordinating the day-to-day activities of the program, scouting and game preparation, recruiting, academic monitoring, compliance, and more. During Shaman’s tenure there, the program achieved a level of success they had not seen in over 20 years advancing as far as the championship game of the Mid-Con Conference in 2006.
Prior to joining the staff at Chicago State, Coach Shaman worked in professional basketball. Shaman served as the Assistant Coach of the Rockford Lightning for the 2002-03 season. The Lightning won the CBA American Conference title with a league-best record of 32-16, and averaged 129 points per game. From Rockford Shaman moved on to the Gary Steelheads for a front office position during the 2003-04 season.
A good portion of Shaman’s career was spent at Kendall College in Evanston, IL. There, Shaman held the dual role of Athletic Director and Basketball Coach. Shaman initiated the NAIA athletics program at the school, forming a new department with eight sports and over 75 student-athletes the first year. Shaman developed and ran all aspects of the department from budgeting and HR, to scholarships, academic monitoring, compliance, and development. The Men’s Basketball program won two conference championships in its’ first two years in the league, and Shaman served as both Head and Assistant Coach at different times. In total, Shaman worked six years at Kendall (1996-2002), as well as serving as Dean of Students for the school for two years.
The early years of Craig’s career were spent as Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, IL (1993-96), and as a high school basketball scout for the Windy City Roundball Review (1991-93). Shaman holds a Master’s Degree in Education from DePaul University, a Master’s Degree in Education from Loyola University Chicago, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois.
Mike Vander Heyden is currently the Director for Intramurals and Recreation at Illinois Institute of Technology. Before arriving at IIT, he was the Coordinator for Recreation & Wellness at Roosevelt University where he was responsible for the intramural sports, recreation and wellness programs. Prior to his time at Roosevelt, Vander Heyden was a Graduate Assistant for Intramural Sports and Athletic Facilities at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana.
While at Rose-Hulman, Mike was the onsite supervisor for varsity basketball and volleyball athletic events held in the 167,000 Sq. Ft. Sports and Recreation Center and oversaw outdoor athletic facilities for baseball and men’s and women’s soccer. He also supervised special events held in the Sports and Recreation Center and athletic facilities including the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship, and the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts Training Camp.
The Mishawaka, Indiana native is a graduate of Penn High School and attended Ball State University where he graduated in 2005 with a Bachelors Degree in Sport Administration with a Minor in Foundations of Management. He also earned a Masters Degree in Recreation and Sport Management from Indiana State University in 2007.
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