Thanks to great sources who had HoopDirt.com out in front of this one back on May 25th. Mike Berkun has been officially introduced as Head Coach of the SUNY Maritime Basketball program. Berkun becomes the 15th individual to hold the head coaching position at Maritime dating back to the program’s inception in the 1940s.
In addition to his basketball role at Maritime, Berkun will also hold the position of Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities. Berkun’s duties will include coordination and planning of construction and renovation of all facilities. He will also serve as the principal contact between Maritime College’s maintenance and facilities crew with the athletics department.
“I want to thank Mr. Schnatz and the rest of the administration for giving me the opportunity to lead the Privateers Men’s Basketball program,” said Berkun. “Maritime is a great institution with unlimited potential both on and off the court. I cannot wait to start working with the student-athletes with the goal of competing for a Skyline Championship.”
Berkun takes over a program that won 10 games a season ago, which are the most wins for the team in eight seasons. The team will look to improve upon its win total from this past season in Berkun’s inaugural season and qualify for the Skyline Conference postseason for the first time since 2010.
“We are extremely excited to have Coach Berkun come aboard,” said Schnatz. “He consistently impressed our staff with his passion and professionalism throughout the process. We are confident that he will have a positive impact on our student-athletes and the entire Privateer program.”
Coming from Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y., Berkun recently served as Associate Head Coach of the Wildcat team that has amassed a 59-29 record in his stint on the sideline. While serving as associate head coach; he was tasked with recruiting, player development, strength & conditioning, fundraising, academics and numerous other responsibilities. He also held a role in athletic operations, where he was in charge of event operations and management for soccer and volleyball while also serving as the camps/clinics and equipment coordinator for the entire athletic department.
In addition to his experience in the Wildcat athletic department, Berkun was also the director of the Team Camp and Basketball Camp director. He is also been the director of the Gamechangers Program since 2012 and works with inner-city youth of Buffalo, N.Y. and give them a chance to play basketball.
Prior to Daemen, Berkun was the associate head coach at Division III Medaille College in Buffalo, N.Y., and helped the program to 78 wins during his four-year stint with the Mavericks. His duties at Medaille focused on recruiting, scouting, player development, strength & conditioning, fundraising, and consulting student-athletes academically.
Before coaching on the sidelines at Medaille, Berkun was a student-athlete for the Mavericks as a member of their men’s basketball program. As a student-athlete he amassed 481 points including a career-best 276 as a senior, he also tallied 199 career assists to go along with 135 rebounds. As both a junior and senior, Berkun served as a team captain and guided the team to back-to-back Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Tournament Championships.
Berkun graduated from Medaille with a Bachelor’s Degree with honors in Liberal Studies in 2010. He later went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Sports Administration at Canisius College in 2015.
