MCC chooses new basketball coach
Nick Kosmider
As much fun as John Mulhern had coaching the MCC men’s basketball team this year, he will probably miss being on the court next season.That being said, though, he was pleased to announce the hiring of Sam Ballard, who will replace Mulhern as head coach next season.
Mulhern will continue to serve his post as athletic director.
Ballard has spent the last 10 seasons as head coach of the Mountain Pointe boy’s basketball team.
He led the Pride to a 107-69 record during his tenure there.
Before coaching at Mountain Pointe, Ballard had coaching stints with Camleback High School and Yavapai College.
Mulhern, along with a solid assistant coaching staff that included Joe Ward, Manny Canales, Ryan Cuff, and Michael Schwertley, led MCC to an 18-9 record this season in the very competitive ACCAC.
The Thunderbirds dismantled Cochise College in the first round of the playoffs but fell in a heartbreaking contest to Eastern Arizona which kept them out of the title game.
Ballard will have to deal with the loss of several key members from last year’s club.
The team wil lose sophmores Jessie Childs, John Pena, David Jackson, Taylor Janowicz, Rodney Brown, Jaime Crim, and Andre Simmons.
