The game of basketball has taken Ernie Zeigler just about
everywhere.
Now, it is taking him back home.
Zeigler, an assistant coach under Ben Howland at UCLA for the
past three seasons, accepted the head coaching job at Central
Michigan University on Thursday.
“This is a bittersweet moment for me, leaving the Bruin
student-athletes that I consider family,” said Zeigler, a
Detroit native, at a press conference on Thursday.
“At the same time, I feel fortunate and privileged to head
my own program and am looking forward to leading CMU to new
horizons.”
Prior to coaching at UCLA, Zeigler also served as
Howland’s assistant at the University of Pittsburgh from 2001
to 2003. Before Pittsburgh, Zeigler, 40, was an assistant at
Bowling Green and Kansas State and was a head coach in professional
leagues overseas in China (1996-1997) and Saudi Arabia
(1997-1999).
The Central Michigan job is Zeigler’s first head coaching
job at an NCAA Division I school.
“Ernie Zeigler is as well-prepared to be a Division I head
coach as anyone I’ve ever worked with,” Howland said.
“He’s outstanding in every facet of leading a
program.”
At UCLA, Zeigler played a pivotal recruiting role in the
program. It was Zeigler who convinced Cameroon natives Alfred Aboya
and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to come to UCLA. Zeigler also traveled
abroad to recruit Serbia’s Marko Spica. Spica, once expected
to join the Bruins for the coming season, has still not earned a
qualifying SAT score.
UCLA assistant coach Donny Daniels, who is expected to take over
the top recruiting role for the team, thinks Zeigler’s
recruiting skills will be enhanced by his return to the state of
Michigan.
“He has very strong ties in the state, and I’m sure
with his contacts and his ability to develop relationships, it will
benefit him in attracting quality student-athletes to Central
Michigan,” Daniels said.
Zeigler replaces former Central Michigan coach Jay Smith, who
resigned in May after the team went 4-24.
The Chippewas were just 20-66 over the past three seasons.
“Ernie brings a wealth of experience to our program and
the championship culture we are building at CMU,” Central
Michigan Athletic Director Dave Heeke said. “Ernie is
well-known as one of the best recruiters in the country. His vision
for our program focuses on the student-athlete and will provide an
environment for our players to be successful both athletically and
academically.
“We are thrilled to have Ernie and his family join the CMU
family.”