Dan McNeely has announced his resignation as the head coach of the men’s basketball and men’s golf programs at the Maine Maritime Academy to become the men’s basketball assistant coach at NCAA Division II Cedarville University in his home state of Ohio. McNeely also was entering his first season leading the Mariners golf program for the 2024-25 academic year. In addition, McNeely oversaw purchasing and scheduling game contracts as an athletics department administrator.
“Dan has done amazing, behind-the-walls work to improve a program that had been regarded as a soft game on our opponent’s schedules for far too long. He delivered some of the program’s biggest wins, developed an identity, and brought the right students to the Academy leaving the program in great shape,” stated Maine Maritime athletics director Steve Peed.
“On a personal level, I am incredibly excited for Dan and his family to have an opportunity to be back home with their folks. It’s obviously a blow to the department and our team, but Mariners are resilient.”
McNeely guided the Mariners for the last seven seasons, including a trip to the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Men’s Basketball Quarterfinals in February for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign. He is the first coach since 2007-08 to steer the Mariners to double-digit victories in back-to-back seasons, going 10-15 overall in both 2023 and 2024. Last season, the team improved in divisional play to 6-6 from 2-8 the previous season in the NAC East Division standings. Curt Heinz, who last season was the NAC Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection, also was tabbed the Maine Men’s Basketball Coaches and Writers Association (MMBCWA) Co-Player and Defensive Player of the Year after leading the state with 19.6 points, 15.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.
“I would like to thank (Athletic Director) Steve Peed and Maine Maritime Academy for giving me the opportunity to be the head men’s basketball coach for the last seven years. My family and I will leave MMA with so many great friendships and memories,” McNeely said. “Castine is a unique place that will always hold a special place in our hearts, and we will be rooting for the players and the program from afar. To the players that I have been blessed to coach during my time at MMA, I want to thank you all for your dedication to our program. You competed hard on the court and in the classroom, and always represented MMA in a first-class manner. I love you guys, and I am excited to see all of your successes in the future. Go Mariners!”
All told, McNeely mentored several student-athletes to 22 NAC academic all-conference, 16 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court, five all-conference and three all-region selections during his tenure.
McNeely’s 2019-20 Mariners produced the NAC Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year in Riley MacLeod and All-NAC First Team selection Nicholas DePatsy.
In 2018-19, McNeely helped lead the Mariners to their most successful season in 13 years and the team’s first NAC tournament appearance since 2010. McNeely was tabbed the 2019 NAC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year by his peers after leading Maine Maritime to an 11-14 overall record and a 7-7 record in conference play. Under his guidance the Mariners defeated their first NESCAC opponent Bates College since 2003.
McNeely’s Mariners produced the 2018-19 NAC Player of the Year and Senior Scholar of the Year, Adam Richardson. Richardson was also named to the ECAC First Team, Maine Men’s Basketball Coaches and Writers Association (MMBCWA) Second Team and D3hoops.com All-Northeast Region Third Team honors.
In 2018-19 the Mariners ranked first in the conference in assists per game, field goal percentage, three-point percentage and free throw percentage, while ranking among the top 30 teams nationally in four categories (fewest fouls – 12th, three-point percentage-16th, assists per game – 22nd, and field goal percentage – 26th).
During his first season, McNeely helped lead the Mariners to their first back-to-back conference victories since the 2012-13 season and the first weekend sweep since the 2007-08 season.
Before coming to Castine, McNeely served as the men’s assistant basketball coach at NCAA Division III member Piedmont College in Georgia for two seasons. During his time at Piedmont, he helped lead the Lions to success on the floor with two back-to-back USA South Championship Tournament appearances and in the classroom as the Lions earned the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award in 2016
McNeely also has coaching experience on the staffs at NCAA Division III Manchester University in Indiana, Division I The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, Xenia (Ohio) Christian and Waynesville (Ohio) high schools.
He is a 2010 graduate of Wittenberg University where he was a member of the Tigers’ 2006 NCAA Division III men’s basketball national runner-up team.
