Steve Hawkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Steve Hawkins

Hawkins in a 2011 game against Oakland University
Current position
Title	Assistant coach
Team	Southern Illinois
Conference	MVC
Biographical details
Born	(1962-08-03) August 3, 1962 (age 62) Ventura, California, U.S.
Alma mater	South Alabama (1987) (BA) United States Sports Academy 1989 (MA)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1981–1983	Villanova Prep. School
1983–1984	St. Bonaventure HS
1984–1987	South Alabama (asst.)
1987–1988	Quincy (asst.)
1988–1990	St. Andrew's (asst.)
1990–1991	Quincy (asst.)
1991–2000	Quincy
2000–2003	Western Michigan (asst.)
2003–2020	Western Michigan
2022–2024	Quincy
2024–present	Southern Illinois (asst.)
Head coaching record
Overall	453–405 (.528)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2× MAC tournament (2004, 2014) 2x MAC regular season (2004, 2014) 8× MAC West Division (2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017)
Awards
MAC Coach of the Year (2014)

Stephen Greg Hawkins (born August 3, 1962) is an American college basketball coach. He is currently an assistant coach for Southern Illinois. He had previously served as the head coach at Western Michigan University and Quincy University.

Coaching career

Early career

Hawkins was born in Ventura, California. Following his graduation from high school, Hawkins spent time as a high school basketball coach in the Los Angeles area at Villanova Preparatory School and St. Bonaventure High School during the early 1980s. During this time he worked as an assistant at UCLA basketball camps, serving as chauffeur for legendary Bruins coach John Wooden. While the two were stuck in traffic, they were able to talk basketball. Hawkins maintained the UCLA connection during his coaching career, often having Wooden speak to his teams at Quincy and Western Michigan. Former UCLA head coach Larry Farmer, would later work for Hawkins as an assistant coach at Western Michigan from 2010–12 and again from 2013 until the present.

Hawkins later attended the University of South Alabama, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1987. From 1984–87 he served as a student assistant to men's basketball head coach Mike Hanks. In 1989 he earned his master's degree in sports science from the United States Sports Academy.

Hawkins served as an assistant coach at Quincy University from 1987-1988 and 1990-1991 and St. Andrews Presbyterian College in 1989. He was promoted to head coach at Quincy in 1992 and served there for 9 seasons until joining the staff of Robert McCullum at Western Michigan in the spring of 2000.

Western Michigan University

Hawkins was named head coach at Western Michigan University on May 1, 2003, following the departure of head coach Robert McCullum to South Florida. Hawkins had served as an assistant coach on the WMU staff for the previous three seasons.

Under Hawkins, the Broncos have finished no worse than 3rd in the Mid-American Conference West Division. The team captured both the MAC regular season championship and conference tournament championship in 2003–04. That squad eventually fell to Vanderbilt in the opening round of the 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.

Following the 2004–05 season, the Broncos participated in the 2005 National Invitation Tournament.

In 2005 Hawkins was a finalist for the head coaching job at DePaul University that eventually went to Jerry Wainwright. He has also received head coaching offers from the University of San Francisco (2004), the University of Nevada, and Southern Methodist University. He also received interest from Bradley University and Loyola-Chicago.

In July 2007, Hawkins was hospitalised for three days following a seizure in his office.

Following the 2007–08 basketball season, Hawkins was very critical of the post season basketball tournaments. Despite a 20-win season and a MAC West Division title, WMU was passed over for post season play, including the new College Basketball Invitational.

Following the 2010–11 basketball season, Hawkins coached the Broncos in the 2011 CollegeInsider.com Tournament. After a victory in the opening round against Tennessee Tech, the Broncos fell in the second round to MAC rival Buffalo.

Following the 2012-13 basketballs season, Hawkins and Broncos participated in the 2013 College Basketball Invitational. They won their first 2 games before falling to George Mason in the semifinals.

The 2013-14 Broncos were one of the most successful of Hawkins' tenure, with a Rainbow Classic Championship, a MAC regular season championship, and a MAC tournament championship. The team made the NCAA tournament, where as a #14 seed they fell in the opening round to #3 seed Syracuse by a score of 77-53. Following the season, Hawkins was named the 2014 MAC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year.

On Wednesday, March 11, 2020, Western Michigan announced Hawkins would not return, ending his 17-year run as head coach.

Quincy University (second stint)

On March 9, 2022, Hawkins was hired as head coach of the Quincy Hawks men's basketball team. On April 15, 2024, Hawkins resigned as head coach to explore another opportunity.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

On April 15, 2024, Hawkins was hired as an assistant coach of the Southern Illinois Salukis men's basketball team under head coach Scott Nagy.

Head coaching record