UMES hires new women's basketball coach, begins search for new men's basketball coach

The basketball programs at University of Maryland Eastern Shore will each have new head coaches the next time they step onto the hardwood, as a new women's basketball head coach has been hired and the search for a men's basketball coach is ongoing.

In April, UMES announced that Malikah Willis will be the new women's basketball head coach, taking over for former head coach Fred Batchelor, who coached the team for 19 seasons from 2004 to 2024. UMES went 15-15 in what would be Batchelor's final season.

Malikah Willis hired to lead UMES women's basketball team

"We are excited to welcome Malikah Willis to UMES," Vice President of Athletics Tara A. Owens said in a statement announcing the hire. "During our national search, we received an influx of interest from qualified candidates. After a thorough review of each candidate, coach Willis stood out as the best person to serve as our head women's basketball coach.

"Coach Willis has a proven track record of successful recruiting while building winning programs. She comes to UMES with a tremendous vision for Hawk basketball. Under her leadership, our women's basketball team will reach new heights of success on the court, in the classroom and in the community."

Willis comes to UMES after working as an assistant coach in college basketball for over 20 years, most recently at Kennesaw State from 2022-24. Willis also played basketball at Iowa, where she won Big Ten championships in 1995 and 1996.

Search is on for new UMES men's basketball coach

On May 8, the athletic department at UMES announced they would also be conducting a national search for a new men's basketball head coach.

"Our national search for our next head men's basketball coach is currently underway. We expect to have an influx of qualified applicants. Our selection committee intends to move swiftly and thoroughly in order to identify the next leader of Hawk men's basketball," Owens said in a statement announcing their search. "We emphasize finding a head coach with a focus on the well-being and success of our student-athletes. The next head coach will share in the aligned mindset and mission of the University to position our student-athletes to be successful in the community, classroom and competition."

Jason Crafton, the former men's head basketball coach at UMES, was hired in 2019 and coached for four seasons. His best season was the 2022-23 season that saw UMES finish with a 18-13 record, the team's first winning season since 2015. The Hawks had a 9-20 record during the 2023-24 season.

The initial announcements of head coaching searches for both the men's and women's basketball teams did not mention any details behind both Batchelor's and Crafton's departures. In a phone call on Thursday, May 23, a UMES Athletics spokesperson said to The Daily Times that UMES decided not to renew Batchelor's contract and move in a different direction, and also decided to move into a different direction for men's basketball.

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This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: UMES hires new women's basketball coach, on hunt for new men's coach