(Story taken from the Rhodes College
website)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Mike DeGeorge has been named Rhodes Head
Men’s Basketball Coach. Coach DeGeorge most recently served
as the Head Basketball Coach at Cornell College in Mount Vernon,
Iowa, where he transformed the Cornell program from three wins
in 2005-06 to 21 wins in 2008-09.
The 2008-09 Cornell squad captured the school’s first Iowa
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Championship and earned
the school’s first NCAA tournament berth in fifteen years.
Coach DeGeorge was named the IIAC Coach of the Year
in 2008-09.
“I am very excited to coach basketball at Rhodes
College. I was drawn to Rhodes by the great academic
reputation, the beautiful campus, the first-class facilities and
the ideal location in midtown Memphis,” said Coach
DeGeorge. “On my campus visit, it was obvious the people
are what make this truly a remarkable place. President Troutt
and Coach Clary have been tremendous throughout this process and I
am grateful they have entrusted me with moving the program
forward.”
Coach DeGeorge steps into the position vacated by Herb Hilgeman,
Rhodes all-time winningest basketball coach, who announced his
retirement after the 2009-10 season. Coach DeGeorge went on to say,
“Coach Hilgeman has had a remarkable career. To follow
the legacy Coach Hilgeman has built is both an honor and a
challenge. I am looking forward to the opportunity to add to
the great tradition of Rhodes Basketball.”
Prior to taking over the Cornell program, Coach DeGeorge served as
the Head Basketball Coach at Eureka College (IL) from
2000-2004. At Eureka he also transformed their program into a
winner where the 2003-04 squad won 17 games, the most wins for
Eureka in over a decade.
Coach DeGeorge is 1992 graduate of Monmouth College (IL), where he
majored in Psychology and played four years of basketball and
golf. During his career at Monmouth he participated in two
NCAA tournaments.
“We are very excited about Mike DeGeorge joining the Rhodes
family. He was selected from 172 applicants for the head basketball
position,” said Mike Clary, Rhodes Director of
Athletics. “We feel very fortunate to attract a proven
head coach who is committed to our values and mission at
Rhodes.”