I mentioned this one last night – it’s now been made official by Mercy College. Here’s the release:
Mercy College Director of Athletics Matt Kilcullen Jr. has announced the promotion of Chris Watts to Interim Head Men’s Basketball Coach. Watts replaces Michael Maczko who has resigned his position at Mercy to accept a full-time assistant men’s basketball position at Baruch College.
“I am so excited and honored to have been chosen as the next Mercy College men’s basketball coach. I would like to thank Matt Kilcullen, Bill Sullivan, and Dawn Sachs. This will be a very exciting year for our men’s basketball team. Go Mavs!” stated Watts.
“We want to thank Coach Maczko for his efforts the last 5 years and wish him all the best at Baruch,” said Athletic Director Matt Kilcullen Jr., and we look forward to watching the program grow under the guidance of Coach Watts.”
Watts is in his second stint with the Mavericks after serving as the associate head coach at the University of Bridgeport last season. Watts is entering his third season on the men’s basketball staff having previously served as assistant coach to Maczko during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
The native of Connecticut brings 26 years of basketball coaching experience to the Mavericks. Watts has previously worked at the NCAA College Basketball Academy and was the Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Notre Dame Catholic High School in Fairfield, Connecticut from 2016-19. He led the Lancers to a 27-0 record and their first basketball championship in the school’s history. Watts was named the 2017 and 2018 Connecticut Post Coach of the Year and was named the USA Today’s Connecticut Coach of the Year in 2018.
Watts has also served as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Connecticut Elite AAU program and was the Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at St. Joseph College Preparatory High School in Trumbull, Connecticut from 2012-16.
Watts graduated from Providence College in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in History. While at Providence, Watts served as team captain in 1991 and was a four-year member of the men’s basketball team, making two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT appearance.
