A familiar face will be on the sideline for the Embry-Riddle men’s basketball team starting in the 2020-21 season as former Eagle standout Nashad Mackey is set to rejoin the Blue and Gold as a Graduate Assistant Coach. Mackey spent two seasons with the Eagles from 2017-19, rewriting the rebounding record books while leading Embry-Riddle in ERAU’s first two official seasons in NCAA II and Sunshine State Conference.
“We are extremely excited to add one of our all-time great players in Nashad to our coaching staff,” Head Coach Steve Ridder said. “From the very first day he committed to our university and basketball program, Nashad earned the utmost respect and trust from his coaches and teammates in his leadership ability at the very highest level.”
A native of Nassau, Bahamas, Mackey played for former Eagle Ryan Ridder at Daytona State for a pair of seasons before signing with the Eagles. The forward made an immediate and lasting impact, averaging 17.2 points and 12.2 rebounds in 50 games. Mackey was a two-time SSC All-Conference performer and a SSC All-Newcomer Team member in his junior campaign. His 17.2 points per game rank fourth all-time in ERAU history, while his 12.2 rebounds per game is far and away the best mark in the program’s three-plus decades. Mackey also ranks second all-time in free throw percentage (.870) and eighth in blocked shot average (1.1). His name is listed six times on the single-season record book, including the top spot in both rebounds (350 in 2017-18) and rebounding average (12.5 in 2017-18). He is the only Eagle to average a double-double for his Embry-Riddle career.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to be back in the Embry-Riddle environment, surrounded by all these amazing people, the staff and this wonderful group of guys,” Mackey said. “I am truly grateful to be an Eagle again and work side-by-side with a talented coaching staff and do big things for this University!”
“Nashad is a born leader who has a tremendously high basketball IQ, relentless work ethic, discipline, great communication skills and a burning desire to impact other people’s lives as a servant-leader,” Ridder said. “He is a tremendous example of what Embry-Riddle University, and specifically our athletic program is all about. I know he is both passionate and grateful to have this opportunity for him, his wife Simone and their children Noah and Malayah.”
The Eagles are coming off their best NCAA II season in 2019-20, finishing 20-10 overall while earning a berth to the NCAA National Tournament before the season prematurely ended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Story Courtesy: Ryan Mosher | @ryan_mosher
