Men's BasketBall - Hendrix College

Thad McCracken - Head Coach
First Year Hanover ‘04
coaching staff
Thad McCracken, a Bedford, Ind. native, enters his first season at
the helm of the men’s basketball program after a standout 2009-10
season as the Hendrix women’s head coach.
McCracken first served as the men’s assistant coach under Dan
Priest’s tenure for four seasons (2005-09) and was named the head
women’s coach after Chris Hitchcock resigned following the 2008-
09 season.
McCracken guided the Warriors through one of the most exciting
women’s campaigns in Hendrix history with its first Southern
Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Western Division title after
finishing 20-5 overall and 13-3 in SCAC play. Hendrix’s post season
run ended with an 86-77 loss to Centre College in the semifinal
round of the conference tournament.
He takes over a men’s team that won just seven games last season
and will look to bring back a winning tradition. “I expect our
upperclassmen to bring back the winning mentality like we had in
years past. I think they need to accept nothing less than their best,
continue to work hard every day, bring out the best in their teammates
and lead by example. I hope to see a lot of discipline out of
my team. I hope fans will see a defensive minded team that pays
attention to details and plays with a lot of discipline.”
McCracken’s first coaching position was at Transylvania University
(Lexington, Ky./NCAA D-III) as an assistant coach, where he helped
lead the Pioneers to a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
(HCAC) Championship in 2004-05.
While he was coaching at Transylvania, McCracken earned his master’s in Sports Administration from Eastern Kentucky University.
A 2004 graduate of Hanover College, McCracken earned a bachelor’s in Business Administration. He won four HCAC Championships and made two
NCAA D-III National Tournament appearances during his playing career at Hanover.
McCracken was honored as a NCAA D-III All-American and HCAC Player-of-the-Year his senior year and HCAC Tournament MVP his junior year.
McCracken holds the record for most 3-pointers in a season (76/2003-04) and is tied for most career 3-pointers (216/2001-04) in Hanover’s rich
program history.
“I played for a winning program at Hanover and losing was never something we talked about,” said McCracken. “We need to change the mindset
here at Hendrix after a tough season last year and get the team to believe in themselves and look at the schedule without thinking there is anyone
we cannot beat. I think they are ready to win and prove to people that they have the talent and are a team to be reckoned with in the SCAC.”
3 2010-11 Hendrix Men’s Basketball Media Guide