Neil Hardin is beginning his 11th season as men’s basketball assistant coach at Sam Houston. Hardin’s duties include helping plan and run practice, opponent scouting, recruiting, and off season individual skill instruction.
A member of Bob Marlin’s staff since Marlin became head coach in 1998, Hardin has played an important role in directing the Bearkats to an 182-111 record, the best record in the Southland Conference the past decade.
That record includes two Southland Conference regular season titles, an NCAA tournament appearance in 2003 and a Preseason National Invitational Tournament quarterfinal berth in 2005.
The Bearkats have posted five 20-plus victory seasons and double digit wins 10 years in a row.
Sam Houston has defeated top teams as Texas Tech, Missouri, Nebraska, and Baylor (Big 12), New Mexico State (WAC), Houston and Central Florida (Conference USA), Idaho State and Montana State (Big Sky), Chattanooga (Southern), and Bradley (Missouri Valley).
"Neil has been one of the main reasons for our success," said Bob Marlin. "He has done a good job in all areas, but specifically in our off-season individual workouts. He has recruited good players and helped make them better."
Hardin is from Pensacola, FL. He worked with current SHSU Head Basketball Coach Bob Marlin from 1992 to 1995 at Pensacola Junior College and was with Marlin when the Pirates won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship in 1992-93.
Pensacola produced an overall record of 74 victories and only 22 defeats during those three seasons, a winning percentage of .771.
Hardin attended the University of West Florida in Pensacola while working with Coach Marlin and the Pirates. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Science from West Florida in 1995.
Hardin followed Marlin to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where he worked as a graduate assistant. Hardin helped monitor the academic progress of Crimson Tide student athletes in each sport. He primarily worked with the men’s basketball and baseball programs. He also assisted with the daily Crimson Tide men’s basketball practices. Hardin earned his Master of Arts degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Alabama in 1998.
Hardin and his wife, Melissa, have a daughter, Alexis, and a son, Collin.
