The front-runner to be the next men's basketball coach at Marist is current Williams College coach Mike Maker, according to two sources close to the search.
Maker, according to sources, appears to be the overwhelming choice of an in-house search committee chaired by school athletic director Tim Murray and includes the school's women's coach, Brian Giorgis.
Giorgis, according to both sources, is strongly advocating the hiring of Maker, citing his reputation as a disciplinarian.
Maker has indicated, in an interview, that if hired he would retain the program's veteran assistant Paul Lee to help with the team's continuity.
The sources have indicated that no decision has been finalized, but one could come as soon as this coming week.
"He is the clear front-runner, the guy the search committee really likes the best right now," said one of the sources.
Maker, 47, has been the head coach at Williams College in Massachusetts, a Division III program, for six seasons. He has led the Ephs to three Final Fours (2010, 2011 & 2014), an Elite Eight (2013) and has an overall record of 147-32, the highest winning percentage (.821) in school history.
Williams, this past season, finished 28-5 and reached the D-III tournament's national championship game. The 2013-14 team ranked in the top 10 nationally among D-III programs in seven statistical categories, including free throws made (third), three-point field goals made (fifth) and offensive field-goal percentage (seventh at 50.8%).
The team finished 26-5 in the 2012-13 season and reached the Elite Eight with Maker being named the D3hoops.com Northeast Region Coach of the Year.
Maker was named the Basketball Times co-National D-III Coach of the Year for the 2009-10 season when his team finished 30-2 and reached the NCAA tournament's championship game.
Prior to Williams, Maker gained Division I-level experience as an assistant at Creighton under current Oregon head coach Dana Alston..
Maker was also an assistant at West Virginia for two seasons under current Michigan head coach John Beilein.
In all, Maker has 26 years of collegiate experience, 17 of those at the Division I level.
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