Men's Basketball
Eric Eaton
- Title:
- Assistant Men's Basketball Cosch
Eric Eaton, in his 10th year at Quinnipiac, has established himself as a premier assistant coach at the Division I level. A veteran of 16 years at Division 1, five NCAA Tournaments and nine total post season appearances, Coach Eaton is directly involved in all aspects of the program including recruiting, practice planning, on court coaching and opponent scouting.
Eaton’s recruiting prowess has yielded the Bobcats four players who scored 1,000 pts (Justin Rutty, James Johnson, Ousmane Drame and Umar Shannon) and two who have pulled down over 1,000 rebounds. His primary recruiting areas are New York, New Jersey, the New England prep schools as well as Southwest and West Coast Junior Colleges.
Eaton also coordinates the individual instruction of the post players where he has been instrumental in developing Justin Rutty (’10 POY, ’11 1st Team All-League), Ike Azotam (’12 &’13 2nd Team All-League, '14 1st Team All League) and Ousmane Drame (’12 All-Rookie Team, ’14 & ’15 2nd Team All League, '15 Defensive Player of the Year). The Bobcats have also been consistently ranked as one of the top rebounding teams in the country, leading the nation in at least one rebounding statistic for six straight years.
During Eaton’s tenure, he has played a major role in the most successful five-year stretch in school history. The program had 98 wins, won a Regular Season NEC title (2010), and participated in 4 post season tournaments. (NIT ’10, CIT ’11, ‘14, CBI ’12) during the stretch. Quinnipiac also had the largest 3 year APR turnaround in the country from 2008-10 (219 points) and the team posted the highest GPA in the league from 2010-2012.
Eaton is known as one of the top young coaches in the region and nationally. In 2016 he was recognized by Collegeinsider.com as one of 30 Assistants nationally who are “Ready to Run Their Own Program.” In 2012 he was selected to attend the Nike Villa 7 Consortium. At this prestigious event, Virginia Commonwealth University's Center for Sport Leadership, VCU Athletics and Nike bring together university athletic directors and the country's elite assistant basketball coaches in an effort to prepare the next generation of college basketball leaders.
Eaton was also named the No. 3 assistant in the Northeast Conference by FoxSports.com after the 2009-10 season, while he earned an honorable mention on the CollegeInsider.com Top 25 Mid-Major Assistants list following the 2008-09 season.
Before joining the Bobcats, Eaton was Associate Head Coach at Albany, where the Great Danes won the 2007 America East Tournament Championship and earned an NCAA berth for the second consecutive season. Eaton joined the University of Albany staff as an assistant for the 2005-06 season, when the Great Danes went 21-11 and reached the NCAA tournament for the first time at the Division I level.
While at Albany, Eaton was responsible for a wide range of duties including recruiting, on-court coaching, scouting, coordinating individual workouts and managing the team's academic progress. During his time with the Great Danes, Eaton played a key role in developing a two-time America East Player of the Year, three all-league performers and a Defensive Player of the Year. The team also posted the highest team grade-point average in the America East Conference for those two seasons.
Prior to joining the Albany staff, Eaton coached at the College of the Holy Cross from 2000-04 as a member of Ralph Willard's staff. He assisted in all aspects of the program, including recruiting, on court coaching, player development and scouting. While at Holy Cross the Crusaders won the Patriot League championship and reached the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive seasons (2001-03). During that period, Eaton recruited the Patriot League's Rookie of the Year and a two-time first-team all-league player. He also assisted in the development of 15 players who earned all-league or all-rookie recognition, including three Player of the Year award winners.
Eaton was an assistant coach for one year at Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. prior to joining the Holy Cross staff. He also worked at Anna Maria College from 1997-99 and was a volunteer assistant at UMass-Dartmouth when that program won 20 games and made a NCAA Division III Tournament appearance.
A member of the UMass-Dartmouth Athletic Hall of Fame, Eaton played on three Little East Conference championship teams that reached the NCAA tournament in the mid-1990s including a Final Four in 1993. He earned his undergraduate degree in business management.
Eric and his wife, Alexis, are the parents of twin boys: Evan and Owen.
What they are saying about Coach Eaton:
"Eric has been a huge part of our success in all aspects of our program. He is a very good teacher, communicates very well on the floor, has a great feel for the game, and is a well-connected and tireless recruiter. He has had a huge impact on the development of our big men, which has helped us to annually be among the best rebounding teams in the country. Eric is more than ready to run his own program and will definitely be successful when that opportunity arises."
- Tom Moore, Quinnipiac Head Coach
"Eric is a winner. Every program has improved with him as an assistant. There's a reason why he has won so many championships and coached in the NCAA Tournament so many times. It's because he develops players and builds incredible relationships. Eric will make a great head coach someday soon."
- Ed McGlaughlin, VCU Director of Athletics
“Coach Eaton pushed me to be my best on and off the court. I believe he had a big part in my journey of becoming a college graduate and a professional basketball player.”
- James Feldeine (Quinnipiac ’10), currently playing for Panathinaikos (Greece)
“Coach Eaton is the most motivating and inspiring coach I have had the privilege to be coached by so far in my career. His enthusiasm for the game and his dedication to shape the character, attitude and work ethic of young men like myself are few of the numerous reasons why I and so many others regard him as a role model and a life changer.”
- Ousmane Drame (Quinnipiac ’15), currently playing for FIATC Joventut (Spain)
“Coach Eaton is by far the most motivating coach I have played for over my career. He somehow finds a way of getting the most out of both an individual and a group. I have the utmost respect for Coach because he always pushed me to give everything I had each and every day without excuses. He brought a huge energy level and was willing to push my team to our limits to make us champions."
- Jamar Wilson (Albany ’07), currently playing for Partizan Belgrade (Serbia)
Eaton’s recruiting prowess has yielded the Bobcats four players who scored 1,000 pts (Justin Rutty, James Johnson, Ousmane Drame and Umar Shannon) and two who have pulled down over 1,000 rebounds. His primary recruiting areas are New York, New Jersey, the New England prep schools as well as Southwest and West Coast Junior Colleges.
Eaton also coordinates the individual instruction of the post players where he has been instrumental in developing Justin Rutty (’10 POY, ’11 1st Team All-League), Ike Azotam (’12 &’13 2nd Team All-League, '14 1st Team All League) and Ousmane Drame (’12 All-Rookie Team, ’14 & ’15 2nd Team All League, '15 Defensive Player of the Year). The Bobcats have also been consistently ranked as one of the top rebounding teams in the country, leading the nation in at least one rebounding statistic for six straight years.
During Eaton’s tenure, he has played a major role in the most successful five-year stretch in school history. The program had 98 wins, won a Regular Season NEC title (2010), and participated in 4 post season tournaments. (NIT ’10, CIT ’11, ‘14, CBI ’12) during the stretch. Quinnipiac also had the largest 3 year APR turnaround in the country from 2008-10 (219 points) and the team posted the highest GPA in the league from 2010-2012.
Eaton is known as one of the top young coaches in the region and nationally. In 2016 he was recognized by Collegeinsider.com as one of 30 Assistants nationally who are “Ready to Run Their Own Program.” In 2012 he was selected to attend the Nike Villa 7 Consortium. At this prestigious event, Virginia Commonwealth University's Center for Sport Leadership, VCU Athletics and Nike bring together university athletic directors and the country's elite assistant basketball coaches in an effort to prepare the next generation of college basketball leaders.
Eaton was also named the No. 3 assistant in the Northeast Conference by FoxSports.com after the 2009-10 season, while he earned an honorable mention on the CollegeInsider.com Top 25 Mid-Major Assistants list following the 2008-09 season.
Before joining the Bobcats, Eaton was Associate Head Coach at Albany, where the Great Danes won the 2007 America East Tournament Championship and earned an NCAA berth for the second consecutive season. Eaton joined the University of Albany staff as an assistant for the 2005-06 season, when the Great Danes went 21-11 and reached the NCAA tournament for the first time at the Division I level.
While at Albany, Eaton was responsible for a wide range of duties including recruiting, on-court coaching, scouting, coordinating individual workouts and managing the team's academic progress. During his time with the Great Danes, Eaton played a key role in developing a two-time America East Player of the Year, three all-league performers and a Defensive Player of the Year. The team also posted the highest team grade-point average in the America East Conference for those two seasons.
Prior to joining the Albany staff, Eaton coached at the College of the Holy Cross from 2000-04 as a member of Ralph Willard's staff. He assisted in all aspects of the program, including recruiting, on court coaching, player development and scouting. While at Holy Cross the Crusaders won the Patriot League championship and reached the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive seasons (2001-03). During that period, Eaton recruited the Patriot League's Rookie of the Year and a two-time first-team all-league player. He also assisted in the development of 15 players who earned all-league or all-rookie recognition, including three Player of the Year award winners.
Eaton was an assistant coach for one year at Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. prior to joining the Holy Cross staff. He also worked at Anna Maria College from 1997-99 and was a volunteer assistant at UMass-Dartmouth when that program won 20 games and made a NCAA Division III Tournament appearance.
A member of the UMass-Dartmouth Athletic Hall of Fame, Eaton played on three Little East Conference championship teams that reached the NCAA tournament in the mid-1990s including a Final Four in 1993. He earned his undergraduate degree in business management.
Eric and his wife, Alexis, are the parents of twin boys: Evan and Owen.
What they are saying about Coach Eaton:
"Eric has been a huge part of our success in all aspects of our program. He is a very good teacher, communicates very well on the floor, has a great feel for the game, and is a well-connected and tireless recruiter. He has had a huge impact on the development of our big men, which has helped us to annually be among the best rebounding teams in the country. Eric is more than ready to run his own program and will definitely be successful when that opportunity arises."
- Tom Moore, Quinnipiac Head Coach
"Eric is a winner. Every program has improved with him as an assistant. There's a reason why he has won so many championships and coached in the NCAA Tournament so many times. It's because he develops players and builds incredible relationships. Eric will make a great head coach someday soon."
- Ed McGlaughlin, VCU Director of Athletics
“Coach Eaton pushed me to be my best on and off the court. I believe he had a big part in my journey of becoming a college graduate and a professional basketball player.”
- James Feldeine (Quinnipiac ’10), currently playing for Panathinaikos (Greece)
“Coach Eaton is the most motivating and inspiring coach I have had the privilege to be coached by so far in my career. His enthusiasm for the game and his dedication to shape the character, attitude and work ethic of young men like myself are few of the numerous reasons why I and so many others regard him as a role model and a life changer.”
- Ousmane Drame (Quinnipiac ’15), currently playing for FIATC Joventut (Spain)
“Coach Eaton is by far the most motivating coach I have played for over my career. He somehow finds a way of getting the most out of both an individual and a group. I have the utmost respect for Coach because he always pushed me to give everything I had each and every day without excuses. He brought a huge energy level and was willing to push my team to our limits to make us champions."
- Jamar Wilson (Albany ’07), currently playing for Partizan Belgrade (Serbia)
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