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Duane Simpkins

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Duane Simpkins
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamAmerican
ConferencePatriot League
Record22–20 (.524)
Biographical details
Born (1974-04-09) April 9, 1974 (age 50)
Playing career
1992–1996Maryland
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1999–2000Bishop O'Connell HS (assistant)
2005–2007Sidwell Friends School
2007–2011St. Albans School
2012–2015UNC Greensboro (assistant)
2015–2023George Mason (assistant)
2023–presentAmerican
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2011–2012Towson (coordinator of basketball operations)
Head coaching record
Overall22–20 (.524)

Duane Simpkins (born April 9, 1974) is an American college basketball coach who serves as the head coach of the American Eagles men's basketball team.[1]

Playing career

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Simpkins played high school basketball at DeMatha Catholic High School under Hall of Fame head coach Morgan Wootten and was a McDonald's High School All-American selection in 1992.[1] He played his college basketball at Maryland under Gary Williams where he was a three-year starter and part of a trio of NCAA tournament appearances with the Terrapins.[2]

Simpkins embarked on a professional career from 1997 to 2003, playing the USBL and ABA, as well as in various teams abroad including Olimpia Milano in Italy during the 2002–2003 season and Shandong in China in 2003.[1][3]

Coaching career

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In between his playing career, Simpkins served as an assistant coach at Bishop O'Connell High School from 1999 to 2000. After his playing career, Simpkins was hired as the head boys' basketball coach at Sidwell Friends School in 2005, and served there before becoming the head coach of the boys basketball team at St. Albans School in 2007.

His first coaching opportunity in the college ranks came with Towson, where he was hired as the coordinator of basketball operations under Pat Skerry in 2011.[4] After a single season with the Tigers, Simpkins became an assistant coach at UNC Greensboro where he worked under Wes Miller from 2012 to 2015.[5] He'd return closer to the DMV area and join the staff at George Mason where he'd serve under both Dave Paulsen and Kim English from 2015 until 2023.[6]

On April 1, 2023, Simpkins was hired to be the next head coach for the American Eagles.[7][8][9][10][11]

Head coaching record

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College

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
American Eagles (Patriot League) (2023–present)
2023–24 American 16–16 10–8 T–2nd
2024–25 American 6–4 0–0
American Eagles: 22–20 (.524) 10–8 (.556)
Total: 22–20 (.524)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Duane Simpkins - Head Coach - Staff Directory". American University.
  2. ^ "Duane Simpkins College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
  3. ^ "Duane Simpkins International Stats | Basketball-Reference.com".
  4. ^ "Duane Simpkins Joins Tigers' Basketball Staff". Towson University Athletics. 6 June 2011.
  5. ^ "Duane Simpkins - Assistant Coach (Recruiting Coordinator) - Men's Basketball Coaches". UNC Greensboro.
  6. ^ "Duane Simpkins - Men's Basketball Coach". George Mason University Athletics. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Duane Simpkins Selected as 18th Head Coach of American University Men's Basketball" (Press release). American Eagles. April 1, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  8. ^ "American U hires Duane Simpkins as basketball coach". AP News. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  9. ^ Hill, Glynn. "Duane Simpkins named men's basketball coach at American University". Washington Post. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  10. ^ Thamel, Pete (April 2023). "American names George Mason asst. Duane Simpkins as new coach". ESPN. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  11. ^ "American U hires Duane Simpkins as basketball coach". The Valdosta Daliy Times. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
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