Dan Ficke, a 2009 and 2010 graduate of Loyola University Maryland, has returned to his alma mater as an assistant men’s basketball coach, filling out the first staff of new head coach G.G. Smith.

Ficke, who played four seasons at Loyola, graduated from the school in 2009 with his bachelor of business administration degree. He then earned his M.B.A. with a concentration in management in 2010.

"It’s great to have Dan back with the Loyola basketball family," Smith said. "He is someone who knows what this program has accomplished and where we are headed from here. Dan has great ties in the basketball community across the nation, as well, and he grew up around the game with a great mentor in his dad, `Big Bill.’"

He joins the Loyola staff after spending the last three seasons at Wake Forest University where he spent the 2012-2013 season as the Special Assistant to the Head Coach/Director of Scouting and Recruiting. Prior to that, he was the program’s Assistant Director of Operations from 2010-2012.

In his roles with the Demon Deacons, Ficke was a liaison between the staff members and the players, monitoring the players’ academics and daily schedules and was responsible for assisting with team travel, meals and other logistics within the basketball office.

Ficke was a part of some of the most successful Division I teams at Loyola during his time with the Greyhounds from 2005-2009. He was a member of teams that won 64 games, including the 2007-2008 team that won what was then a school Division I record 19 contests.

"I am thrilled to be back home at Loyola and working with G.G. Smith," Ficke said. "This is a place where I have great memories, and I am so proud as an alum of what the program has accomplished. I look forward to working with G.G., the players and my fellow coaches to help continue the winning tradition that has been built."

His freshman season was cut short before it started with a shoulder injury, and he made his collegiate debut in 2006-2007. He developed into a key contributor in the Greyhounds’ frontcourt during the 2007-2008 campaign when he saw action in 20 games.

In his final season with the Greyhounds, 2008-2009, Ficke played in all but one of 32 games. He made his first start for Loyola in a New Year’s Eve game at Cameron Indoor Stadium against Duke.

Following the conclusion of his playing career, Ficke spent the 2009-2010 season as as the head junior varsity and assistant varsity coach at nearby Boys Latin School of Maryland.

Before coming to Loyola, Ficke earned All-Colorado Second Team honors and All-America honorable mention on the prep level at Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colo.

Ficke grew up around the best in the game of basketball, following his dad, Bill, who was an NBA assistant coach and scout for the Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz and New Jersey Nets where he coached alongside Larry Brown and Doug Moe. Bill also played at Belmont Abbey College for legendary coach Al McGuire.

Dan serves as the president of the JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation, an organization named in honor of his late mother who passed away in 2007. Bill and Dan founded the charity two years later to generate support for cancer treatment, awareness to relieve the suffering of cancer patients and their families and to facilitate research.

Ficke joins Smith’s staff that includes assistant coaches Keith Booth and Josh Loeffler. Director of Basketball Operations Kevin Farrell also returns for his second year with the Greyhounds.

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