Corky McMullen, a 2007 Houghton College graduate and former Highlander student-athlete, has been named the next men’s basketball head coach for the Highlanders, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics H. “Skip” Lord announced today.
The appointment comes after an exhaustive national search that featured close to 100 applicants.
McMullen, who becomes the ninth coach in the 49-year history of Houghton men’s basketball, most recently served as director of basketball operations at NCAA Division I Rutgers University under head coach Eddie Jordan. He worked a total of six seasons at Rutgers, including one year as director of player services and four seasons as the coordinator of basketball operations/video.
“Coach McMullen has squeezed a lot of experience into his career so far, and we are excited to welcome him back to Houghton to lead our men’s basketball program,” said Lord. “His experiences at both the Division III and Division I levels and the skills he brings in recruiting and player development will have an immediate impact on our program. He also understands Houghton and the value we place on sports ministry, discipleship and academic mentoring.”
“One of his most appealing strengths is his familiarity with Western New York and the NCAA. He will hit the ground running with recruiting, which is the life-blood of any good program. I have no doubt that Coach McMullen is well-positioned to take our program to the next level and to compete for a top finish in the Empire 8 Conference.”
In addition to assisting with day-to-day activities of the coaching staff at Rutgers, McMullen was responsible for scheduling team travel, practices, meals, facility use, and overseeing compliance matters along with playing a major role in the team’s on-campus recruiting efforts. He managed student-athlete mentoring programs on and off campus, assisted with the coordination and monitoring of individual player’s schedules, and assisted in all basketball-related campus events. He was also in charge of the program’s community and alumni relations efforts, as well as serving as director of the Eddie Jordan Basketball Academy.
“First off, I would like to thank President Mullen, Coach Lord, and the search committee for the opportunity to serve and lead the Houghton College men’s basketball program. My family and I are excited to lead this team,” said McMullen. “Houghton has had a tremendous impact on my life and I intend to impact lives through the love of Jesus Christ the same way I was impacted as a student-athlete here. I have had great mentors along the way that have shaped me into the Coach that I am today. I am excited to bring these experiences to the Houghton College basketball program.”
Prior to moving to Rutgers, McMullen served two seasons as a graduate assistant at Hofstra University under head coach Tom Pecora. At Hofstra, he worked in all facets of the program, including game and practice preparation, on-court instruction, individual improvement, scouting reports, film exchange, video editing and academic support.
A native of Castile, N.Y., and graduate of Letchworth Central School, McMullen first ventured into the collegiate coaching ranks at Rochester Institute of Technology, where he worked as an assistant coach in 2007-08 under Bob McVean. He has also worked at numerous basketball camps under the direction of coaching legends Tubby Smith, Stan Heath, Larry Eustachy, Sidney Lowe, Terry Dunn and Pecora.
McMullen was a team captain and three-year letterwinner at guard for the Highlanders. He started 63 of 75 games in the purple and gold, scoring 692 points, while hitting 160 three pointers in his three-year career. His best season statistically was 2004-05 when he averaged 10.5 points and converted 63 of 164 three point attempts. He played his freshman season at Division II Lock Haven (Pa.) University.
A Ronald McDonald All-Greater Rochester All-Star, McMullen played his high school ball under his father Tim at Letchworth. While there, he also was a three-time Livingston County Athletic Association First Team All-Star, a two-time Division II Player of the Year, and he captained the Western Scholastic team to the gold medal at the 2001 Empire State Games. After high school, he prepped a season at Bridgton Academy in Maine.
McMullen and his wife, Ryan, have three sons, Corky, Beau, and Drew.
McMullen takes over for Drew Hannan who stepped down from the position after leading the Highlanders to a 12-13 record during the 2015-16 season.
http://athletics.houghton.edu/news/2016/5/10/mcmullen-tabbed-as-mens-basketball-head-coach.aspx
Photo Courtesy Houghton Athletics
