Basketball: Hardin Completes Marlin’s Staff

Bob Marlin's inaugural staff at the University of Louisiana is complete with the announcement on Neil Hardin as an assistant coach on Tuesday. He joins Nikita Johnson and Darby Rich on the staff. Hardin has been by Marlin's side throughout his coaching career including the past 12 seasons at Sam Houston State.

Courtesy: RaginCajuns.com
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Bob Marlin’s inaugural staff at the University of Louisiana is complete with the announcement on Neil Hardin as an assistant coach on Tuesday. He joins Nikita Johnson and Darby Rich on the staff. Hardin has been by Marlin’s side throughout his coaching career including the past 12 seasons at Sam Houston State.

Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball head coach Bob Marlin announced the final addition to his inaugural coaching staff on Tuesday as Neil Hardin was named assistant coach.

Hardin’s hiring is pending approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. He joins Nikita Johnson and Darby Rich who were named to Marlin’s staff last Tuesday.

Hardin has been by Marlin’s side throughout his coaching career including the past 12 seasons at Sam Houston State.

Hardin helped direct SHSU to a 225-131 record, the best record in the Southland Conference the past decade. The Bearkats won three regular season SLC titles, finished third or higher in the league standings the final six seasons and made two NCAA tournament appearances (2003 and 2010).

Hardin’s duties included helping plan and run practice, opponent scouting, recruiting, and off-season individual skill instruction.

Sam Houston defeated top teams such as Auburn (SEC), 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).

The Bearkats posted six 20-plus victory seasons and double-digit wins 12 years in a row. Sam Houston was one of only 52 teams in NCAA Division I men’s basketball to post 20-victory seasons four of the last five years.

Hardin’s working relationship with Marlin began at Pensacola Junior College from 1992-95. The Pirates won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship in 1992-93, his first season on Marlin’s staff. PJC produced an overall record of 74-22 during those three seasons, a winning percentage of .771.

Following the 1994-95 season, Hardin went with Marlin to the University of Alabama where he worked as a graduate assistant on David Hobbs’ staff from 1995-98.

Hardin attended the University of West Florida in Pensacola while working at Pensacola JC. He received his bachelor’s degree in sports science from UWF in 1995. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Exercise Physiology from Alabama in 1998.

Hardin and his wife, Melissa, have two daughters, Alexis and Natalie, and a son, Collin.

— Ragin’ Cajuns —