Millikin University Director of Athletics Dr. Craig White announced the hiring of Mark Scherer as the new Big Blue Head Men's Basketball Coach on Wednesday, March 22.
Scherer is a proven winner in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) posting 245 career wins, a conference championship and seven top two CCIW finishes before retiring as the head coach at Elmhurst College in 2013. In his 17 seasons guiding the Bluejays, Scherer's teams finished in the top four in the conference 10 times and made two trips to the NCAA Tournament including the school's first trip to the Sweet 16. Scherer holds the Elmhurst record for most career wins as a head coach and best career winning percentage. During his tenure, the Bluejays were ranked in the NCAA Division III Top 25 rankings 10 times including four times in the top 10. While at Elmhurst, Scherer was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Midwest Region Division III Coach of the Year.
"Millikin is very fortunate to get a coach with Mark's experience," said Dr. Craig White. "When we started the search, I wanted someone with experience, knowledge of the CCIW and the ability to recruit the state of Illinois. We had great interest in the position and through the process it became clear that Coach Scherer was the perfect fit for Millikin University."
"We are very happy to welcome Mark Scherer to Millikin," said Millikin President Dr. Patrick White. "Coach Scherer's career success as a coach and a leader promises much for the culture of success we are building at Millikin in athletics and across the campus."
"I am excited for the unbelievable opportunity to be the head coach of the Millikin University men's basketball program," said Scherer. "Success is about the right person at the right time in the right place. Millikin is the perfect fit for me. I am looking forward to joining the Big Blue family and being a part of the Decatur community."
Most recently, Scherer has served as the director of development at Illinois State University. Scherer served as director of development at Eureka College from 2013-2016 and was the Red Devils interim director of athletics in 2013.
Before joining the Elmhurst staff in 1996, Scherer was assistant coach at Valparaiso University for four years and an assistant coach at Western Illinois University for two years. After playing professionally in the Irish Basketball Association from 1983-86, Scherer got his start in coaching as a teacher and junior varsity coach at Sullivan High School.
Scherer earned a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education at Eureka College and a Master of Science in Sport Management at Western Illinois University.
What Others Are Saying About Mark Scherer
"I am extremely happy for Mark, Millikin University and the CCIW as I welcome back a highly qualified coach and extraordinary person to conference. I applaud the process Millikin has gone through and I think you have identified a person that will breathe life back into the program," said Paul Krohn, director of athletics at Elmhurst College.
"I am pleased to see Mark Scherer reentering the coaching profession by taking the coaching position at Millikin. He knows what it takes to win in the CCIW as well as finding the right players to fit the school. His success at Elmhurst was built around committed student-athletes who knew how to compete as a team and be successful in the classroom. Millikin is getting a classy coach and I look forward to following his success at another Division III school," said Mark Edwards, head men's basketball coach at Washington University-St. Louis.
"Mark is an outstanding coach and recruiter who is very familiar with the competitiveness of men's basketball in the CCIW. He is well organized, a tireless worker who is committed to program success. As a leader and educator Mark has always embraced the Division III philosophy of the student-athlete. He has always worked to maintain an environment in which a student-athlete's athletic activities serve to enhance and support the overall educational experience," said Chris Ragsdale, commissioner of the Heartland College Athletic Conference.
"The nice part about Coach Scherer is that we have stayed in contact since I graduated. He has always stayed in touch with me and the other former players. When he builds a relationship with someone, he takes it seriously and is passionate about keeping and growing those relationships as they are very important to him. I think that will be very important moving forward with the players at Millikin," said Zack Boyd, 2012 Elmhurst College graduate and two-time All-CCIW Selection.