STAUNTON — Mary Baldwin University experienced a historic men’s basketball season this past year, winning the USA South Tournament championship and advancing, for the first time, to the NCAA Division III tournament in only its third season as a varsity sport.
A lot of that was attributed to Head Coach Matt Griggs, who started the program as a club sport in 2020 before basketball transitioned to a varsity sport the next year. In May, however, Griggs stepped down to become the head coach at Lake Forest College in suburban Chicago.
Mary Baldwin has now found Griggs’ replacement, naming Daniel Eacho as just the second coach in men’s basketball history at Mary Baldwin. The announcement was made by a press release on Tuesday.
Eacho comes to Staunton after serving as associate head men’s basketball coach at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. His tenure there began in 2021 as an assistant coach. Previously, Eacho was an assistant coach for the Hampden-Sydney College men’s basketball team.
Eacho played college basketball at Division III Roanoke College, a two-time captain for the Maroons, earning first-team honors on the all-Old Dominion Athletic Conference team and being selected in 2015 as the ODAC Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the year.
As a player, the 6’8” forward totaled 1,309 points, 724 rebounds, and 35 blocks, and averaged 24.4 minutes per game in his college career.
During Eacho’s coaching tenure at Millersville, the Marauders compiled a 68-25 record, won their division title twice, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament two of the past three years.
“Throughout the hiring process, it became clear to me that Mary Baldwin University is a special place,” Eacho said in the release. “My family and I are excited to join this tight-knit community.”
At Millersville, Eacho helped recruit 16 scholarship players, including nine that earned all-conference recognition. Other assignments included overseeing the academic progress of the players, the logistics and financial operations of the program, and fundraising activities.
“Daniel Eacho is inheriting a program that made tremendous strides and success in three seasons under the guidance of the first head coach in team history, Matt Griggs,” said Director of Athletics Tom Byrnes.
Eacho, himself a four-time ODAC all-academic team member, is prepared to lead the Fighting Squirrels to success both on and off the court.
“I look forward to getting to work with the young men of the men’s basketball program, helping them grow not only as basketball players, but as student-athletes in the classroom and in the community,” Eacho said. “In a short existence, the MBU men’s basketball program has established a foundation of success. I cannot wait to build on that foundation and lead the program to new heights.”
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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com