The ‘natural choice’
Long-time Knights’ assistant Mike Hurley taking over men’s basketball program
Mike Hurley is back on the bench with the Niagara College men’s basketball team after a four-year absence, this time as head coach.
Hurley, who spent 11 years as an assistant, has been named interim head coach of the Knights. The 42-year-old Fonthill native succeeds Keith Vassell who changed his mind about returning for a fourth season and instead accepted the head coaching position with the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada.
Hurley, who served under former head coaches Ralph Nero, Randy Conlon, Phil Mosley and Steve Atkin, said he is “truly exciting ” to again be part of a program with a “fantastic history” and a “real winning culture.”
“I want to continue running this program at a high level,” he said. “We have a tremendous group of young men on our roster, and this season should be particularly exciting as we have the privilege to host the OCAA championships in March.”
Hurley has extensive head coaching experience in minor basketball, but this will the first time be will be have the final say on a team competing at the post-secondary level.
“Previously my role was supporting the direction of the program, while this season I will be in a leadership role,” he said. “It’s a challenge that I believe that I am up to, and I am really looking forward to the opportunity.”
Hurley was an Ontario Colleges Athletics Association (OCAA) all-star in each of his three seasons with the Knights after graduating from E.L. Crossley Secondary School. His final two years of post-secondary eligibility were played at Brock University where he served as a team captain in his last season.
Niagara College athletics and recreation director Matthew Davies described Hurley as the “natural choice” to take the reins of a program that compiled a 13-3 record in league play and finished fourth at the provincial championships.
“He is a fantastic coach, and we have the utmost confidence in his ability to continue building our men’s basketball program and adding to the special student-athlete experience we create at Niagara College.”
The Knights went 34-19 and had back-to-back, fourth-place finishes at the OCAA championships under Vassell.
He isn’t going to the National Basketball League of Canada as much as he is staying in the professional loop. After the Knights were eliminated from medal contention at provincials, Vassell compiled a 7-11 record closing out the season as interim head coach of the Niagara River Lions.
In London, Vassell succeeds Kyle Julius who led the Lightning to a 35-5 record in league play, and 11-2 in the playoffs, on the way to winning their third championship in six years.
We have a tremendous group of young men on our roster, and this season should be particularly exciting as we have the privilege to host the OCAA championships in March.” Mike Hurley
Julius, the league’s coach of the year for 2016-17, opted not to return for a third season to London.
Vassell is leaving the Knights with best wishes from the region’s community college.
“Keith has done a tremendous job over the past three years positioning our men’s basketball program toward national contention and helping reinvigorate the student-athletes’ commitment to academics,” Davies said. “We are very thankful for his commitment to the Knights family, and wish him the best of luck with the next step in his coaching journey.”
Hurley, who works in the athletics department as facilities co-ordinator, becomes the fourth Niagara College employee to coach a varsity team at the post-secondary institution. Men’s soccer head coach Frank DeChellis is an instructor in the technology department, cross country coach Adam Upshaw is an instructor in health sciences, while men’s volleyball head coach Nathan Groenveld works in the Centre for Student Engagement and Leadership.