Cal Poly Names Mike DeGeorge Men’s Basketball Head Coach
3/26/2024 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) announced today that Mike DeGeorge has been named the men's basketball head coach. DeGeorge comes to Cal Poly after six seasons as head coach at Colorado Mesa, where he took the program to five NCAA Tournaments and averaged 23 wins per season.
"We had some great basketball minds that aided Cal Poly through the search, and we appreciate the time and dedication it took from many people to help with this process," said Director of Athletics Don Oberhelman. "Coach DeGeorge has a proven track record of building programs from the ground up – he's done it at every level. President Armstrong and I felt that his years of experience and demonstrated success as a collegiate head coach is exactly what Cal Poly needs at this time. Our fans will love the style of play Coach DeGeorge will be bringing to the Central Coast."
In his six seasons at Colorado Mesa, DeGeorge guided the program to three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season titles and two conference tournament championships.
"I am honored to be selected as the next head men's basketball coach at Cal Poly," DeGeorge said. "My wife Christi and I have been blown away by Cal Poly and the Central Coast, but the people are what convinced us this is an ideal professional fit for me and a personal fit for our family. I have made a career of turning programs around and to be able to do it at the Division I level would be a dream come true. In addition, I believe our system is built to help us maximize our potential and we are excited to put that to the test. Let's get to work!"
A program builder, DeGeorge took a Colorado Mesa program that won 19 games combined in the two seasons prior to his arrival and turned them into a 19-win team in his first season. In the 2020-21 season, he led the program to its first ever No. 1 national ranking and the school's first appearance in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
"Mike DeGeorge's values and philosophy of coaching is a perfect fit for Cal Poly," said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong. "Mike's demonstrated leadership and his commitment to human growth and development fully align with our university and our athletic department."
This past season, DeGeorge, a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year, led Colorado Mesa to a regular season conference title and to the Sweet 16 of the Division II NCAA Tournament. A brilliant offensive mind, his team led the nation in effective field goal percentage; was third in three-point shots made per game with 11.4; and was 16th in scoring with over 86 points per game.
Prior to Colorado Mesa, DeGeorge was the head coach at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, for eight seasons. There, he turned around a program that had 10-straight-losing seasons into a winner. In his second season there in 2011-12, the team won 11 more games than the season before. The next season, he led the program to its first conference championship in 20 years. Fast forward to 2016-17, the Lynx won both the Southern Athletic Association regular season and tournament championships, advancing to the NCAA Division III National Tournament for the first time in 24 years. He was named as the SAA Coach of the Year while his team led the nation in assists.
Before his time in Memphis, DeGeorge was the head coach at Eureka College in Eureka, Ill., (2000-04) and at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, (2004-09).
In his five seasons at Cornell College, he rebuilt a program that managed just three wins in 2005-06. In DeGeorge's final year with the Rams, the team won a school-record 21 games. In addition, he guided the team to their only IIAC Tournament Championship in any men's sport. The team also earned the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance and posted a 3.0 or higher team GPA in each season.
DeGeorge also turned around Eureka's program, transforming a two-win program into a 17-game winner in his final year with the Red Devils.
Prior to obtaining his first head coaching position, DeGeorge served as the top assistant at Grinnell College (Iowa) for the 1999-00 season and at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisc., from 1994-99. He also assisted Bill Knapton, a 500-game winner and past president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, at Beloit College in Beloit, Wisc., for the 1993-94 season.
DeGeorge played at Monmouth College where his team won two Midwest Conference and four Southern Division championships while making 1989 and 1990 NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. He was also a member of the Fighting Scots' golf team for two years and recorded the team's lowest stroke average in both 1991 and 1992.
DeGeorge and his wife Christi have four children (Max, Maya, Morgan, and Madison) ranging in age from 15-21.
There will be an official introductory press conference on Thursday, April 4, at 10 a.m. in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center on campus that everyone is welcome to attend. There will also be a meet-and-greet later that evening at Firestone Grill in downtown San Luis Obispo where fans and supporters can interact with Coach DeGeorge.
What They're Saying:
Joan McDermott, Colorado Mesa Athletic Director:
"Having worked with many high-level coaches, I would add Coach DeGeorge to the top of the list. He has an incredible basketball mind and is an excellent teacher of the game. Watch out Big West because he will bring this program around quickly."
Jeff Linder, University of Wyoming Head Men's Basketball Coach:
"Coach DeGeorge is an excellent choice to lead the Mustangs. He has proven he can win at a high level and compete for championships. His ability to do more with less has been an asset in his past success and he will surely do big things at Cal Poly."
Mike Chellsen, Cal Poly Basketball Alumni '88:
"After meeting Coach DeGeorge and learning about his experience and success as a collegiate head coach, I couldn't be more excited for the future of Cal Poly basketball!"
Mike Wozniak, Cal Poly Basketball Alumni '00:
"Mike DeGeorge has been a winner at all stops. A connector who has created player success through persistent classroom & court continuity. I believe the Big West & Central Coast basketball community will get an energy for hoops pace and creativity while enjoying the build towards March & Mott Madness."
Terrance Harris, Cal Poly Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management, Mission College Prep Head Boy's Basketball Coach:
"I am excited to welcome Coach DeGeorge to the Mustang family. He has proven himself as a leader and a winner and we are fortunate to have him implement his vision here at Cal Poly."
