| Strahorn |
Damien Strahorn, who played under and was an assistant for
legendary head coach Dick Whitmore, will take over as the new head
coach of the Colby men’s basketball team.
Strahorn, the head coach at Plymouth State this past season and
an assistant coach for four years at Columbia, will start at Colby
on June 1. He will be the first head coach, other than Whitmore, to
lead the Mules since 1970. Strahorn is just the seventh head coach
in Colby men’s basketball history dating to the 1937-38
season. Whitmore retired in March.
“I’m truly excited that Damien has accepted our
offer to be the next head coach of men’s basketball at
Colby,” said athletic director Marcella Zalot. “No one
can replace Dick Whitmore because, frankly, he is irreplaceable.
But Damien has the right mix of terrific basketball knowledge and
high level recruiting experience that we need, combined with his
knowledge of the traditions and history of the men’s
basketball program at Colby.”
Whitmore started at Colby in 1970 and amassed a career record
of 637-341 while retiring ranked seventh all-time in NCAA Division
III men’s basketball history in career wins. He is in the top
50 among coaches in career wins in all divisions.
“I think there are two things with Coach Whitmore. First
you look at the 600-plus wins, the championships, and the fact that
he’s one of the winningest coaches of all time,” said
Strahorn, a 2002 graduate of Colby with a bachelor’s degree
in economics and a minor in administrative science. “The
second part is the amazing impact that he has had on so many of his
players' lives and the resulting connection he has with so many
former players. I’m very honored and humbled to be taking
over (for) him.”
Despite taking over a Plymouth State team with just one
returning starter and a squad predicted to finish last in the
Little East Conference, Strahorn helped the Panthers to a
sixth-place finish and an 11-14 record. He will have a similar
situation at Colby during the 2011-12 season, with the Mules losing
star players Adam Choice, Mike Russell, and Christian Van Loenen
over the past two years.
Strahorn was in the Ivy League at Columbia for four years
under then head coach Joe Jones, who is now the associate head
coach at Boston College. Strahorn was named interim head coach for
the spring after Jones left for Boston College. He was in charge of
spring workouts and did some home visits to the incoming first-year
players.
Strahorn started out at Columbia as a third assistant and
quickly worked himself up to Jones’ top assistant for his
final two years with the Lions. Strahorn helped Jones lead Columbia
to the most Ivy League wins during a three-year span since 1994 and
helped them tie for most wins in one season in 30 years with a
16-12 record in the 2006-07 season. Columbia had the best four-year
record during Strahorn’s time with the Lions since
1980.
Strahorn coached four years with Whitmore, first as a
volunteer and then working himself into a paid assistant coach
position.
“What a great opportunity it was to be able to learn
from Coach Whitmore so early in my career,” said Strahorn,
who is working on his master’s degree from Plymouth State and
will be able to finish with online work. “I’m really
grateful to him and for entrusting me with opportunity to do a lot
of things as an assistant. That time at Colby really prepared me
well for Columbia.”
Strahorn, a native of Menlo Park, Calif., was a two-year
player at Colby after transferring from Foothill College. During
his senior year at Colby, Strahorn earned All-NESCAC First Team
honors and was named to the All-New England Second Team. A captain
his senior year, Strahorn averaged 22.9 points per game.