2016-17 Men’s Basketball Coaches
John Smith named the third head coach in Marygrove men’s basketball history in August 2013, taking over for outgoing head coach and athletic director, Dave Sichterman. Smith’s appointment followed a seven-year stint as the program’s lead assistant/associate head coach under Sichterman and former head coach Glen Donahue.
With 30 years of high school basketball coaching experience, Coach Smith is an excellent recruiter and has a great mind for the game. During his years coaching at the high school level, Smith helped guide back-to-back state championship teams at Class A Pontiac Northern High. Since that time Pontiac Northern has remained a power in the state for boy’s basketball. He also was co-founder of the Tri-County Cobras AAU team.
Smith , a 1976 graduate of Oakland University earned his B.A. in Psychology while being a two-sport player in college. He played four years of basketball and baseball for OU. Coach currently resides in Troy, MI.
Gary D. Gula enters his 11th season as an assistant on the men’s basketball staff in 2016-17. Gula came to Marygrove with an extraordinary knowledge of how the collegiate game works on and off the floor. With experience ranging from community college to AAU coaching, Gula’ recruiting pipeline will be sure to help the Mustangs.
Gula will handle on the floor coaching as well as play a major role in the administration of Mustang men’s basketball. Gula’ main responsibilities in administration lie within securing the Mustangs NCAA Division I & II opponents. By receiving these games, Gula helps provide our student-athletes with the great experience of competing against some of the nation’s finest talent.
Gula is also a member of the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC).
Gary K. Wiggins (Coach Z) currently is the longest tenured coach, head or assistant, throughout the Marygrove athletics landscape. Entering his 11th year as the assistant coach in 2016-17, and entering his 3rd season as the head coach for the JV team. Coach Z will continue to assist head coach Craig Covington with on-court coaching and recruiting in the Metro Detroit area.
Wiggins is the cousin of former Central Michigan Head Basketball Coach, Ernie Wiggins. Wiggins also played for Coach Ernie Wiggins while he was the head coach at Detroit Cody. Wiggins is the grandson of one of the original Harlem Globetrotters, Vertis R. Wiggins Sr., who played in the highly-publicized 1948 Harlem Globetrotters vs. Minneapolis Lakers contest in which the Globetrotters won in a game that was said to change the NBA forever. Vertis R. Wiggins Sr. passed away in December of 2013. Wiggins’s great grandfather Gordon Wiggins was a Negro League baseball pitcher for Birmingham Black Barons.
Wiggins helps with summer basketball camps at the University of Tennessee, University of Detroit-Mercy, and Central Michigan University.
A graduate of Marygrove College, Wiggins earned a B.A. in Business while receiving a minor in Social Science. Wiggins is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Educational Technology at Marygrove College.
Eduardo V. Hodge enters his 1st season as volunteer coach for the Mustangs. Eduardo will be filming, breaking down film, and will be a key asset when it comes to game-planning.
