It’s been nine years in the making but Daniel Thompson finally has the opportunity to be the head men’s basketball coach at his alma mater Everett Community College. Thompson first joined the staff in 2015 as an assistant for legendary coach Larry Walker, whom Daniel played for and was a member of the 2008 tournament team that finished 8th. Thompson was a part of the final two years of Larry’s 31 year career at EvCC, which included a trip to the 2015 playoffs and a 3rd place finish in the north region. When then head assistant Mike Trautman (also an EvCC alumnus and former player of Walker’s) took over the reins in 2016, Thompson stayed on staff and elevated his role to the lead assistant after just two years of college coaching experience.
Thompson’s responsibilities with the program grew over time becoming more involved with the offense, recruiting, and eventually took the lead on player development. In Daniel’s time the Trojans have produced a number of players that have moved on to the four year level along with four players that earned All North Region Second Team honors, and five players who were named to the All North Region First Team list including two time recipient and North Region MVP Markieth Brown who also became the EvCC all-time career leading scorer with 1382 points. Additionally, Gio Jackson who sits at 8th on the career all-time scoring list, was named the 2018 NWAC Player of the Year.
“We had a lot of great applicants for this position, said Athletic Director Garet Studer. I think people know that this is a good job in the NWAC and where a head coach can find success. Daniel has been a constant in the sustained success of the men’s basketball program for almost a decade, and we believe that the relationships he has built, and the experience he has gained will help him successfully make the transition into the head coach role.”
Over the past nine seasons with Daniel on the bench, EvCC has never had a losing season, has totaled 176 wins (three straight seasons with 20+ wins & the program record of 26 wins in 2018), five trips to the post season, four north region titles, and a number of season’s in which the Trojans led the NWAC in statistical categories such as field goal percentage, rebounds, free throw attempts, three-point field goal percentage, assists, and opponents field goal percentage.
“I’m extremely honored and excited to be named the next Head Men’s basketball coach at Everett Community College, said Thompson. I want to thank Garet Studer and everyone involved in the hiring process for believing in me and allowing me this opportunity. I want to thank Coach Mike Trautman and coach Larry Walker for giving me the opportunity to learn from two outstanding coaches. As a former Trojan student-athlete and assistant coach, this program and institution means the world to me and I look forward to continuing the standard of excellence that has been created here and hope to guide the program to it’s first NWAC basketball title.”
https://athletics.everettcc.edu/sports/mbkb/2022-23/releases/20230530qwyzl9
