After six years as an assistant coach on the Rider University men's basketball staff, Mike Witcoskie returns for his 10th season overall and fourth year as associate head coach in 2015-16.
"I am excited to have Coach Witcoskie as part of my staff," said head coach Kevin Baggett. "Mike and I have worked together for the past nine years and have developed a great relationship in that time. He helped make my transition to head coach as easy as possible and his on- court knowledge will certainly continue to help this program and our players."
Witcoskie's duties include off-campus recruiting, post-player development, game scouting, practice and game coaching and coordinating the team's academic program.
As coordinator of the academic program, Witcoskie helped Rider receive national recognition from the NCAA for its Academic Progress Rate (APR) three times. In the past five years, the Broncs have achieved the highest and third highest grade point average in the history of the program.
Witcoskie came to Rider with several years of coaching experience already under his belt. He was a full-time assistant at Wilkes University for two years and reached the Middle Atlantic Conference playoffs in each season. Witcoskie helped coach the Colonels to the Freedom Conference Championship Game in the MAC as well.
At Wilkes, Witcoskie's responsibilities included recruiting, team defense, developing scouting reports, practice and game coaching, individual development of post players and serving as the director of intramurals.
During the 2003-04 campaign, Witcoskie served as an assistant coach at Susquehanna where he was involved in every aspect of the program. His responsibilities included recruiting, scouting, practice and game coaching and the individual development of the Crusaders' guards. Witcoskie also implemented a new weight training program, served as the Junior Varsity basketball coach and was the assistant camp director.
Witcoskie is a 2001 graduate of Susquehanna University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Biology and played under former Rider Head Coach Tommy Dempsey who was an assistant with the program at the time. Witcoskie was Susquehanna's men's basketball team captain as a senior.
A 1997 graduate of Palmyra High School in Palmyra, Pa., Witcoskie now resides in Ewing with his wife, the former Megan Fisher, a kindergarten teacher in South Brunswick, and daughter Avery.
