Millikin will begin an aggressive national search for a new coaching staff for its men’s basketball program after the resignation of Big Blue coach Marc Smith and assistant coach Anthony Figueroa.

Athletic director Joe Hakes said the resignations were effective Feb, 25 and that the school would move swiftly to select a new head coach for the program. Smith was 33-66 in four seasons, with 16 of those wins coming in a 16-9 season in 2008-09. Millikin was 1-23 this season, 0-14 in the CCIW.

“Marc Smith is a class act,” said Hakes. “He has represented Millikin University and Big Blue Athletics very well. We wish him the best as he starts a new chapter in his career and as we look forward to building a thriving Big Blue basketball program."

“I want to thank Millikin for allowing me the pleasure to return and head the basketball program,” said Smith. “The past four seasons have been an eye-opening experience for me professionally and personally. We, coaches and players, have worked very hard on and off the court to build a respected and competitive program. We were able to successfully reach a number of goals that we set for ourselves and the program, but fell short in others. I thank those young men who have sacrificed their time, energy, and a big part of their social experience to participate in the program. I pray and trust that what they have learned as a member of this program will stretch beyond the boundary lines of the basketball court.”

Before getting hired at Millikin, Smith was coach at Keystone, which compiled an 88-50 record while a member of the NEAC.