Eric Eaton was introduced as the new Saint Michael's men's basketball head coach on Aug. 1, 2019, and the 2025-26 season marks his seventh leading the Purple Knights. Eaton initiated changes in recruiting, culture and style of play upon his arrival, while he and his coaching staff have also made major strides in player development.
Eaton guided the Purple Knights to their best winter in 23 seasons during the 2023-24 school year, which culminated with Saint Michael's hosting the NCAA Division II East Regional Championship in front of capacity crowds in the Ross Sports Center. The top-seeded Purple Knights advanced to the regional final - the Sweet 16 round of the national tournament - to finish 24-9 overall. Thanks to going 17-5 in Northeast-10 Conference play, the Purple and Gold won the regular-season crown by three games after being predicted for a last-place showing in the NE10 Preseason Coaches' Poll. Saint Michael's was nationally ranked for much of the season and shattered a school record by burying 353 three-pointers. Eaton was named National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) East District Coach of the Year and NE10 Coach of the Year. Romar Reid '24 earned a spot on the NABC All-East District second team, he and Darrel Yepdo '26 were both named to the NE10 All-Conference second team, while Yepdo landed on the NE10 All-Defensive Team.
Eaton previously keyed the success of four Division I programs, helping Iona College, Quinnipiac University, the University of Albany and the College of the Holy Cross win 12 conference regular-season and tournament crowns in 18 years as an assistant coach, making a run to 11 postseason tournaments, including seven NCAA bids. Eaton has been a part of developing and coaching more than 40 former players who went on to be professionals in Europe, Asia and the NBA G League. He is well connected in New England prep schools, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C., as well as at the junior college level nationally.
As a standout player at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, Eaton helped the Corsairs to a 90-24 overall mark and a 42-4 Little East Conference (LEC) record with four regular-season titles, as well as three LEC Tournament crowns and a trio of NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. The Corsairs advanced to the Final Four during his freshman year and the Sweet 16 the next. Eaton and his 1992-93 squad, which was 25-6 and finished fourth in the nation, were inducted into the UMass Dartmouth Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. Eaton earned his undergraduate degree from UMass Dartmouth in business management.
Eaton and his wife, Alexis, are the parents of twin boys, Evan and Owen.
Saint Michael's College Men's Basketball Head Coach, 2019-20 to Present (7th Season)
- 2023-24 NABC East District Coach of the Year
- 2023-24 NE10 Coach of the Year
- 1 NCAA East Regional Championship Final (2023-24)
- 1 NE10 Championship Semifinal (2023-24)
- 2 NABC All-East District Honors
- 1 D2CCA All-East Region Honor
- 1 NE10 Rookie of the Year (Kasai Brown, 2019-20)
- 3 NE10 All-Conference Honors
- 2 NE10 All-Rookie Team Honors
- 1 NE10 All-Defensive Team Honor
- 2 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Honors
- 1 NE10 Academic All-Conference Honor
- Recruited Patrick Gardner, 2021-22 Division II D2CCA All-East Region, NABC All-East District and NE10 All-Conference selection and 2022-23 Division I NABC All-District and All-MAAC second team selection; Gardner played for Miami Heat in 2023 NBA Summer League
- In 2021-22 and 2022-23, member of Eracism national committee, promoting a new social inclusion movement committed to bringing forth change through education, awareness and action, with current and former college basketball coaches leading the way. College Insider, Inc. played a major role in Eracism's founding in December 2020, and Eaton and the Purple Knights hosted an annual "This Game is No Secret" contest
Iona (New York) Men's Basketball Assistant Coach, 2017-18 to 2018-19 (2 Seasons)
- 37-30 overall, 23-13 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference record
- Coached under head coach Tim Cluess
- 2 NCAA Division I Tournament Appearances (2017-18, 2018-19)
- 2 MAAC Tournament Titles (2017-18, 2018-19)
- 1 MAAC Regular-Season Title (2018-19)
- Recruited Tajuan Agee, 2018-19 All-MAAC second team and 2019-20 All-MAAC first team selection
- Recruited Isaiah Ross, 2020-21 NABC All-District first team and All-MAAC first team selection
Quinnipiac (Connecticut) University Men's Basketball Assistant Coach, 2007-08 to 2016-17 (10 Seasons)
- 162-150 overall, 121-85 conference records
- Worked with frontcourt players - Quinnipiac led Division I in at least one rebounding category each year between 2010-11 and 2015-16, including ranking first in total rebounds, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds and rebounding margin in 2013-14
- 2008-09 CollegeInsider.com Top 25 Mid-Major Assistants (Honorable Mention)
- Named No. 3 assistant in NEC by FoxSports.com after 2009-10 season
- 2015-16 CollegeInsider.com 30 Division I Assistant Coaches Ready to Run Their Own Program
- Invited to prestigious 2011-12 Nike Villa 7 Consortium at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., where athletic directors and the country's elite assistant basketball coaches met in an effort to prepare the next generation of college basketball leaders
- 2 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament Appearances (2010-11, 2013-14)
- 1 National Invitation Tournament Appearance (2009-10)
- 1 College Basketball Invitational Appearance (2011-12)
- 1 Northeast Conference Regular-Season Title (2009-10)
- Recruited 2010 NEC Player of the Year Justin Rutty
- Recruited 2019 MAAC Player of the Year Cameron Young
- Recruited Peter Kiss, 2017 MAAC All-Rookie selection and 2021-22 NCAA Division I scoring leader (25.2), USBWA District I Player of the Year, All-NEC first team pick and NEC Championship MVP
- 5 recruits scored 1,000 points (Justin Rutty, James Johnson, Ousmane Drame, Umar Shannon, Cameron Young)
- 2 recruits recorded 1,000 rebounds (Justin Rutty, Ousmane Drame)
- Quinnipiac led NEC in team GPA in 2010-11 and 2011-12
- Quinnipiac led Division I in three-year turnaround in Academic Progress Rate (APR) by 2009-10
University of Albany (New York) Men's Basketball Coach, 2005-06 to 2006-07 (2 Seasons)
- 44-21 overall, 26-6 America East Conference record
- Associate Head Coach, 2006-07 (1 Season)
- Assistant Coach, 2005-06 (1 Season)
- 2 NCAA Division I Tournament Appearances (2005-06, 2006-07)
- 2 America East Tournament Titles (2005-06, 2006-07)
- 1 America East Regular-Season Title (2005-06)
- 2005-06: Albany's first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance
- 1 America East Player of the Year (won twice)
- 1 America East Rookie of the Year
- 4 America East All-Conference Honors
- Recruited 1 America East All-Rookie Honoree
College of the Holy Cross (Massachusetts) Men's Basketball Assistant Coach, 2000-01 to 2003-04 (4 Seasons)
- 79-43 overall, 39-15 Patriot League record
- 3 NCAA Division I Tournament Appearances (2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03)
- 3 Patriot League Tournament Titles (2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03)
- 2 Patriot League Regular-Season Titles (2000-01, 2002-03)
- First Patriot League team to qualify for three straight NCAA Tournaments
- 3 Patriot League Player of the Year Honors
- 15 Patriot League All-Conference/All-Rookie Honors
- Recruited 1 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and 2 Patriot League All-Conference first team selections
Assumption (Massachusetts) University Men's Basketball Assistant Coach, 1999-2000 (1 Season)
Anna Maria (Massachusetts) College Men's Basketball Assistant Coach, 1997-98 to 1998-99 (2 Seasons)
University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth Men's Basketball Volunteer Assistant Coach, 1996-97 (1 Season)
- 20-7 overall, 10-2 Little East Conference record
- 1 NCAA Division III Tournament Appearance (1996-97)
- 1 LEC Tournament Title (1996-97)
- 1 LEC Regular-Season Title (1996-97)
What They’re Saying About Coach Eaton
"I am very excited for Eric and for Saint Michael's. Eric was an integral part of two NCAA Tournament teams at Iona, and I'm confident he will lead Saint Michael's resurgence in the NE10."
- Tim Cluess, former Iona College Head Coach
"Eric is a winner. He has started the process of turning around Saint Michael's and making it into an NCAA Tournament-level team that will compete for championships in the NE10. He pours his heart and soul every day into developing student-athletes and building incredible relationships. He will continue to recruit quality young men who will excel on the court and in life long after basketball."
- Ed McLaughlin, Virginia Commonwealth University Director of Athletics
"I enjoyed working with Eric at UAlbany in his role as associate head coach. I predicted he would be a successful head coach as he was organized and a terrific communicator. Eric's skill set bodes well for Saint Michael's as he develops student-athletes into leaders in the classroom and on the court."
- Dr. Lee McElroy, former University of Albany Director of Athletics
"Eric Eaton is an outstanding addition to the Saint Michael's basketball program. He is a tireless coach and recruiter who strives to develop the student-athletes in his charge. I'm confident that Saint Michael's will quickly realize the benefits of having Eric as the head coach."
- Greg Amodio, Quinnipiac University 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 University Men's Basketball Class of 2010; currently playing for Kuwait Sporting Club, member of Dominican Republic National Team
"Coach Eaton is the most motivating and inspiring coach I have had the privilege to be coached by 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 a few of the numerous reasons why I, and so many others, regard him as a role model and a life changer."
- Ousmane Drame, Quinnipiac University Men's Basketball Class of 2015; currently playing for Pau-Lacq-Orthez (France)
"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, University of Albany Men's Basketball Class of 2007; currently playing for Kataja BC (Finland)
