William & Mary Athletics

Mike Howland spent five seasons as an assistant coach at W&M from 2019-24.

Howland helped propel the Tribe to 21 wins in Dane Fischer’s first season at the helm, the most for the program since 1950. W&M also set school records for conference (13) and road (10) wins. Nathan Knight was named the Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year, CAA Player of the Year, and CAA Defensive Player of the Year.  Andy Van Vliet earned second team All- CAA honors. 
 
Howland has been instrumental in the development of the Tribe’s guards.  Luke Loewe was named the Tribe’s most improved player in 2020 after finishing the season as the 10th most efficient shooter in the country, while also being named the Tribe’s defensive MVP.  Loewe went on to earn second team All-CAA honors in 2021. Connor Kochera (2021 CAA Rookie of the Year), and Tyler Rice (2022 CAA All-Rookie Team) have also garnered accolades under Howland’s tutelage.

Prior to coming to Williamsburg, Howland spent four seasons at Winthrop University. After joining the Eagles as the Director of Basketball Operations in 2015, he was promoted to Assistant Coach in 2017. During his tenure in Rock Hill, SC, Winthrop compiled an impressive 86-40 record.  Winthrop won two Big South championships, a Big South Tournament title, and made an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017.  Howland helped develop the Big South Player of the Year in both 2017 (Keon Johnson) and 2018 (Xavier Cooks), as well as six other All Big South selections.
 
In his first season as an assistant coach in 2018, Howland was named the Defensive Coordinator of the Eagles.  He guided the Big South’s most efficient defense, finishing the season as Kenpom’s #1 rated defense in the Big South.  In 2019, Howland changed sides of the ball and was handed the reigns to the Eagle offense.  Winthrop's new offensive coordinator led an offense that ranked 8^th in the country in scoring offense at 83.3 points per game.  The Eagles also led the country in 3FG’s made that season.  
 
Prior to his time at Winthrop, Howland was the Director of Basketball Operations at Missouri State in 2014-15.  Before arriving at Missouri State, Howland excelled as a head coach at both the high school and AAU levels.  As the head coach of Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights, IL, Howland led the Lions to a 69-19 record and a trio of regional championships over three seasons. Howland was a three-time IBCA District 4 Coach of the Year and took home the 2012 East Suburban Catholic Conference Coach of the Year honor as well.
 
Howland graduated from DePauw University in 2002 and enjoyed a stellar career on the court. He was a four-year starter that capped his career by being named an NABC All-American as a senior. The 2002 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Howland led the Tigers to a 24-4 mark and an appearance in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III Tournament. He finished his career ranked 13^th (scoring) and 3^rd (assists) in the DePauw record books.  During his four years under long-time coach Bill Fenlon, DePauw compiled a 75-28 record.  Howland will be inducted into the DePauw Hall of Fame in the fall of 2023. 

Howland and his wife Shannon have three children, Bella, Tucker, and Judson.