Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) has announced the appointment of Maverick Harris as the new head coach of the Pomeroys men’s basketball program. The announcement was made by Associate Vice President for Athletics Kevin Lanke, marking a significant step for the university's athletic department.

"I am excited to bring Maverick Harris back to Indiana as head men’s basketball coach at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College," said Lanke. "Maverick has been successful at every stop along his career path and brings successful NAIA head coaching experience and his Indiana connections to SMWC. He connected extremely well with student-athletes, coaches, faculty, and staff during the interview process. We look forward to welcoming coach and his family as the newest residents of the Wabash Valley."

Harris, an Indiana native, brings a diverse and impactful coaching background to SMWC, spanning various levels of college basketball. His return to his home state is anticipated to invigorate the Pomeroys men’s basketball team.

"My family and I are extremely excited to be joining the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College family," Harris stated. "We’re grateful for the opportunity to join a growing athletics department at an institution deeply rooted in rich academic tradition."

Most recently, Harris served as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Bethany College during the 2024–25 season. Inheriting a program that had only four wins the previous year, Harris tripled the win total in his first season. This turnaround was recognized as the 13th-largest improvement in NAIA men’s basketball. Under his guidance, Bethany secured victories over NCAA Division II Colorado Christian University, Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Champion University of Saint Mary, and KCAC runner-up Bethel College. The team showed improvement across all offensive statistical categories and achieved top-10 national rankings in three defensive metrics.

"Our program mission seeks to empower connected individuals whose passion, toughness, and resiliency ignite purposeful effort we are proud of – and that is what we will strive to do every single day," Harris added. "We look forward to building upon the recent success of the SMWC Men’s Basketball program, while developing strong, charismatic leaders throughout campus and in the community."

Before his head coaching role, Harris was an assistant at Bethany in 2023–24, where he also contributed as a game management assistant and adjunct professor, teaching Academic Study Skills. His coaching history includes a stint at Franklin College (Ind.), where he played a crucial role in the Grizzlies' victory over Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) No. 1 seed Rose-Hulman. He also helped in recruiting a foundational roster that later won three HCAC championships.

At NCAA Division II Salem University (W.Va.), Harris contributed to the Tigers winning the USCAA Division I Small College National Championship. His teams consistently ranked among the national leaders in rebounds, defensive field goal percentage, scoring, and steals. He coached All-American guard Stan Smith, who was a top-10 player nationally in scoring and three-point shooting.

Harris also spent four seasons coaching in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), with positions at Bemidji State University and Minot State University. At Minot, he helped the Beavers reach a school-best semifinal appearance in the NSIC Tournament. His coaching career began as a player development coach alongside NBA trainer Joey Burton, assisting with pre-draft and summer workouts for professional players in the NBA, G-League, and overseas.

"We’d like to thank President Randolph and Kevin Lanke, as well as the entire hiring committee for their belief in us to lead the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Men’s Basketball program," Harris said. "From the moment we stepped foot on campus, we could just feel the energy, care, and hospitality that make SMWC a special place."

As a player, Harris was a senior captain at Northland College in Wisconsin, leading the program to its best finish in 20 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in writing and a master’s degree in sports management from Minot State. Harris, his wife Danielle, and their son, Million James, are set to relocate to Indiana to join the Pomeroy family.

"We can’t wait to hit the ground running and get to know everyone at SMWC and within the community," Harris concluded.