Mudge takes over as men's basketball coach

Apr. 5—HUNTSVILLE — After making the news official on Monday, Sam Houston held an open-to-the-public press conference to officially introduce new head coach Chris Mudge to the Bearkat fans.

Mudge now takes over as the second head coach for the program since Bob Marlin was hired for the 1998 season. Mudge has been an assistant at Sam Houston since 2010 and in 2021 was tabbed as associate head coach for Jason Hooten.

"Shocked was probably the first reaction," Mudge said. "I went through all of the cycles of emotions because it was something that I badly wanted. Every night, my prayer was for clarity and obedience and where God was going to put my two feet. I was going to follow that. I was incredibly excited."

"That's a tough time and the patience you have to have to be an internal candidate," Sam Houston director of athletics Williams said. "He was amazing and how he handled everything was a big factor in why we moved that way as well."

Mudge now takes over a program that is gearing up for another conference change just two years after making the jump from the Southland to the Western Athletic Conference and on July 1, will officially join Conference USA.

This will also mark Mudge's first head coaching job at the division I level and has a program that has been successful over time. He also takes over after one of their best seasons to date as the Bearkats finished with 26 wins and an opening-round NIT victory.

One thing that will loom over Mudge is he takes the reins of a team that hasn't made the NCAA tournament since 2010 in what was Marlin's final year on the sideline.

"I think the thing that made us great for the 13 years that I have been here is we are defined by the exact same thing," Mudge said. "Are we taking the right approach, are we loving each other and supporting each other? What I want to accomplish is being able to create teams that are able to do that. When we do that, good things follow."

ROSTER

For the last nine years, Mudge has been director of recruiting at Sam Houston and has brought in key guys like last season's WAC Player of the Year in Qua Grant, as well as, former Texas A&M Aggie Savion Flagg the year prior.

Mudge has been a strong recruiter and the hiring of him could be something that is strong for the Bearkats as they will have to build a roster that revolves around him being the head man.

Hiring a familiar face was also positive as nearly every player from the Bearkats roster was in attendance for the game.

"I think it's really cool because me and him started way back when I was in high school," freshman Anthony Wrzeszcz said. "He recruited me and it doesn't happen a lot where a coach that recruits you gets the head coaching job. I'm really excited to play for him and see him grow as a head coach. I hope the best for coach Hooten, but I'm excited for next year."

"It was amazing and I really think we deserved it," sophomore Cameron Huefner said. "Being with Hooten for 13 years and learning all the tics and tacks and investing that much time into a program. I think it was very well deserved."

The current players also played a big part in keeping Mudge around as they would check in with Williams in his office.

"[They were] a big part of it because the main thing is what has been developed over the last 13 years," Williams said. "It's a major part of what you do. It's about the student athlete's experience and about their experience. It's a great group of young men who achieve at a high level. I was trying to make sure they were heard and a few of them came by my office looking for updates."

RECRUITING

Mudge was the major recruiter for the Bearkats over the last nine years but with the new role, he hopes things stay similar in his recruiting.

With Hooten, the mantra of the squad was 'team, family, believe' and each player was a part of the family as they were always together to become one.

Mudge has now helped bring in two conference players of the year, as well as, many other players that helped the team to 261 wins.

"As a head coach I want to be incredibly active in recruiting," Mudge said. "Recruiting is the lifeblood of the program and the players are the reason we have success. Without great young men — none of this matters. I know I am going to be active in it to get the best guys I know we can. But I want them to get to know me, and I want to get to know them. "

ASSISTANTS

Now Mudge will have to assemble a staff of coaches for the first time in his career. While there is no timetable for what he is looking for, he knows what he is looking for.

Sam Houston has had a history of hiring coaches that are looking to cut their teeth and make it in this business. Over the last season, Hooten hired Mike Ekanem from Arkansas where he was the director of player development. He made the jump and helped make this team into one of the best teams the school has seen.

Mudge will also have a bigger salary pool for his assistants to pay from which could help land some guys with more experience for a brand new head coach.

"We've had unbelievable staff and coaches during the time that I have been here and it's been incredible because it's guys with no egos," Mudge said. "It's guys that fit the mantra of the young men we are trying to recruit. Those are the guys that we want to bring in to be on my staff as well. We have a lot of great candidates that want to be a part of it but I don't have a timetable. I can promise you we are going to have great people that will be valuable members of this community like we've had for 13 years."

One thing that is true about Mudge is his commitment to the program and to the players. The entire back row was filled with players from last year's roster, and while there are still some players in the portal, hiring Mudge gives some of those guys the ability to know that their voice is heard and know what they will get in a head coach.