Marquis Pollard is returning to his alma mater to serve as the new men’s basketball coach at Thomas College in Waterville.
Pollard replaces DeShon Gaither, who has resigned after three seasons, according to Thomas athletic director Chris Parsons.
“I am eager to get started with the guys and restore back the family culture built around commitment, discipline, toughness and team unity,” said Pollard, whose hiring was announced Wednesday.
He will begin his coaching duties on April 1.
Pollard graduated in 2014 from Thomas, where he was a four-year member of the men’s basketball team and earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management.
During his time at Thomas, the Terriers went 53-50 overall and 41-27 in North Atlantic Conference play, with the Terriers twice setting records for most conference wins in a season with 11 victories in both 2012 and 2014.
Pollard was a team captain during his senior season.
After graduation Pollard was an assistant coach at Thomas from 2014 to 2016 and then became an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Northern Vermont-Lyndon.
He then was the head coach at Washington Academy Prep in Greenville, North Carolina, and most recently was the head women’s basketball coach at John Paul III Catholic High School, also in Greenville, North Carolina.
“I am very excited to welcome Marquis back to Thomas College,” Parsons said. “We are incredibly lucky for this opportunity to bring back one of our former student-athletes. Marquis has a passion for Thomas College, the athletic department, and the men’s basketball program. Our student-athletes are very fortunate to have a leader that will continue to elevate and educate the men’s basketball program through his character and mentorship.”
Gaither’s Thomas teams went 18-28 during his three seasons on the West River Road campus, including 4-14 overall and 1-10 in the North Atlantic Conference this past winter.
Pollard will inherit a 2021-22 Thomas roster that includes sophomore forwards Sawyer Deprey of Caribou, who averaged 12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game last winter, and Lokiron Ando of Portland (9.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg), first-year guard Parker Desjardins of Jackman (9.1 ppg) and junior guard Trevor Reed of Rockland (5.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg).