Mike Neighbors

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Mike Neighbors
File:Mike Neighbors.jpg
Sport(s) Women's college basketball
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Washington
Conference Pac-12
Record 69–35 (.663)
Biographical details
Born (1969-03-29) March 29, 1969 (age 55)
Greenwood, Arkansas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2001-2005 Tulsa (asst.)
2005-2006 Colorado (asst.)
2006-2007 Arkansas (asst.)
2007-2010 Xavier (asst.)
2011–2013 Washington (asst.)
2013–present Washington

Mike Neighbors (born March 29, 1969)[1] is the University of Washington head women's basketball coach. He is in his third year as a head coach, having served as an assistant under Kevin McGuff for several years, including two years with the Huskies.[2]

Early years

Neighbors was born and raised in Greenwood, Arkansas, where he played basketball for coach H.B. Stewart. His family was very involved in the school system, as teachers, school secretaries, assistant superintendent and superintendent positions. He was asked by his high school coach what he dreamed to do, and his answer was "My dream is to take your job". Neighbors expected to remain in the area, and did for a few years, but then ended up in coaching positions spanning four time zones.[3]

High school coaching

In 1994, Neighbors was named the head coach of the Bentonville High School girl's basketball program. In his first year, the team had a record of 1–24.[4] However, he did not quit and the team became a powerhouse, winning at least 18 games each of the next three seasons, and reaching the state finals in 1997.[5]

Neighbors then took the head coaching position for the girls basketball team at Cabot High School, as well as teaching biology classes. During his year at Cabot, he was playing some pickup basketball. He had bet a high school player he could dunk. He won, and went on to play five pickup games that morning. After going home, he was resting on his couch when he experienced excruciating chest pain. An ambulance showed up, took his blood pressure which registered as almost perfect, but because the ambulance was there, he went to the hospital where they determined he had experienced a heart attack. Doctors placed two stents in his chest to help with the blood flow, and he was back to coaching the following Friday. However, he decided he had to change his life and he resigned the head coaching position to become the director of basketball operations under Gary Blair at Arkansas. The change resulted in a substantial pay cut.[6]

College assistant

Arkansas

The transition from head coach to an administrative role can be challenging, even when going from the high school level to the college level.[7] Neighbors explains his philosophy, "...be the head coach of whatever they ask you to do." His new head coach liked Diet Coke, so Neighbors decided to make sure that Blair always had his preferred drink. This included calling the arenas planned for a road game, to find out whether the arena was a Pepsi or a Coke location. If a Pepsi location, he would make sure to bring a bag packed with Diet Coke to the game. He referred to himself as "Gary Blair's Diet Coke guy."[6] He did his so well, he moved on to more responsibilities. Blair asked him to help out with camps, then viewing opponents videos to write scouting reports. When he works on scouting reports, he follows a routine, which never varies. He watches the game four times before he takes his first note. Then he uses a specific kind of pad, and the same four writing instruments to record his thoughts. He doesn't just record what the team is doing, but what they are trying to accomplish and what will be an effective counter.[8]

Tulsa

After three years as director of basketball operations, he felt he was ready to become a full assistant. Tulsa's head coach, Kathy McConnell-Miller, persuaded Neighbors to join her staff.[9] While an assistant at Tulsa, the school had their best record in school history (19–12) and their first ever post-season invitation.[5]

Colorado

Neighbors worked as an assistant at Tulsa for four years, and then when Kathy McConnell-Miller left to take over the Colorado program, Neighbors continued as her assistant at Colorado. After one year at Colorado, Susie Gardner persuaded Neighbors to return to Arkansas, this time as a full assistant.[10]

Brief return to Arkansas

After one year at Colorado, Susie Gardner persuaded Neighbors to return to Arkansas, this time as a full assistant.[10] The return home did not last long, as Gardner and Arkansas parted ways at the end of the season. Arkansas replaced Gardner with Tom Collen, who chose to bring in his own staff as assistants.[11]

Xavier

Neighbors was hired by Xavier head coach Kevin McGuff in time for the 2007-08 season. He continued as McGuff's assistant through the 2010–11 season, during which time the Musketeers were 108–22, winning the A10 Conference Tournament three of the four years, making the NCAA tournament each year, and advancing to the Elite Eight in 2010, losing to national runner-up Stanford by just two points.[12] While at Xavier, Neighbors was selected as one of the best assistant coaches in the country. He was chosen as one of five recipients for the BasketballScoop.com and ONS Performance Rising Star award.[13]

Washington

The Washington Huskies women's basketball program has enjoyed success over the years. Chris Gobrecht served as head coach for eleven years, between 1985 and 1996. She was succeeded by June Daugherty, who also remained for eleven years. Daugherty was replaced by Tia Jackson. However, Jackson did not have a winning seasons in any of her four years, so the school looked for a replacement. They convinced McGuff to take the position, and McGuff persuaded Neighbors to come with him.[14][15]

The Huskies turned around their 11–17 record, improving to 20–14 and making it to the Quarterfinals of the WNIT. The next year, the team improved again, finishing 21–12, and finishing 5th in the Pac-12 Conference, their best finish since 2007. However, at the end of McGuff's second season, Ohio State decided to move on from Jim Foster, and persuaded McGuff to take over the head coaching position for the Buckeyes. McGuff, who had signed a three-year contract extension just three weeks earlier, was persuaded to return to his home state.[16]

Head coach

Mike Neighbors enters his third season as the head coach at Washington and fifth with the Huskies overall. He was promoted to head coach on April 21, 2013. He had previously worked as the top assistant coach for two seasons with the Huskies.

Neighbors has overseen the resurgence of the Husky program, including the Dawgs first trip to the NCAA tournament in eight seasons. Last year, Washington won 23 games, the most since 1995 and defeated five teams ranked in the top-25 at some point during the season. Those wins included beating No. 5 Texas A&M, No. 7 Oregon State and Florida State who finished with a No. 7 ranking and made the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Neighbors record now includes wins over 10 ranked teams in two seasons, while owning a career Pac-12 winning percentage of .583 (21-15), which ranks third among active conference coaches behind only Tara Vanderveer and Lindsay Gottlieb.

In 2015, the Dawgs also earned their first national ranking since 2003 when they earned a spot in the top-25 of the Coaches Poll. The Huskies were named midseason as one of the top-20 teams in the country in the NCAA Tournament Early Look. The Dawgs would go on to earn a No. 6 seed in the NCAA's, traveling to Iowa City where they were upset by No. 11 Miami in an exciting up-tempo game that went down to the final possessions. Faced with the need to hire a new head coach, shortly after thinking they had a multi-year commitment, the athletic department acted quickly. The team lobbied the administration to promote Neighbors, despite his lack of head coaching (at the college level) experience. The athletic department interviewed Neighbors, as well as one other assistant, and chose Neighbors three days after losing McGuff.[17]

In his first year at the helm of the Husky program, Neighbors led the Dawgs to a third-straight 20-win season and trip to the quarterfinals of the WNIT. Washington finished 20-14, including 10-8 in the Pac-12. The Dawgs defeated five teams that were ranked at some point during the season, including an upset of then-No. 3 Stanford at Alaska Airlines Arena in front of a nationally televised audience. The win ended the 58-game road conference winning streak of the Cardinal.

Neighbors has overseen the development of several individuals, including Jazmine Davis who was named All-Pac-12 First Team all four seasons, becoming the first player in Washington history to achieve that distinction. Under Neighbors' tutelage, Davis would also become the Dawgs all-time leading scorer, while breaking nearly every school offensive record in the process. Neighbors also has continued to develop two other players that would break major school records with Aminah Williams and Talia Walton taking down the school's all-time rebounding and blocked shots records.

In addition to the continued development of the veteran players, Neighbors two seasons have overseen the best start to a career of any Husky player ever. As a freshman, Kelsey Plum set the single-season scoring record at UW with 712 points, while also earning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-America honors from several news outlets. This past season, Plum surpassed her scoring record with 746 points, while leading the Pac-12 in scoring at 22.8 points per game. She was named to nearly every watch list, including being named a finalist for the Wooden Award, being named WNCA All-Region and once again to the All-Pac-12 First Team.

2016 NCAA Tournament and First Ever Final-Four

The Huskies were picked as an at-large bid as a #7 seed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament in the Lexington region. The Huskies played their first game against #10 seed Pennsylvania; where they defeated the Quakers 65-53 to face against #2 seed Maryland. The Huskies upset #2 Maryland on their homecourt 74-65 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2001. The Huskies played against #3 Kentucky on their homecourt to defeat the Wildcats 85-72 to advance to the Elite 8. The Huskies played against their Pac-12 opponent; Stanford Cardinals in the Elite 8, where the Huskies and Cardinals split the season series. The Huskies led throughout the game and they defeated the Cardinals 85-76 to advance to their first ever Final Four berth.[18]

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Washington Huskies (Pac-12 Conference) (2013–present)
2013–14 Washington 20–14 10–8 6th WNIT Semifinal
2014–15 Washington 23–10 11–7 5th NCAA First Round
2015–16 Washington 26–11 11–7 5th NCAA Final Four
Washington: 69–35 (.663) 32–22 (.593)
Total: 69–35 (.663)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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