Central Michigan University Athletics
What They Are Saying About Ernie Zeigler
6/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 29, 2006
What They Are Saying About Ernie Zeigler
UCLA head coach Ben Howland
"Ernie Zeigler is as well-prepared to be a Division I head coach as anyone I've ever worked with. He's outstanding in every facet of leading a program -- from recruiting, to on-the-floor coaching, to player-coach relationships and to the relationships within the University and the local community. He's an outstanding role model and great family man. I'm extremely excited for Ernie, he's a man of high character and quality. He'll be deeply missed at UCLA - for me, both professionally and personally."
UCLA junior Arron Afflalo
McDonald's All-American, 2006 First Team All-Pac-10 Selection
"I admire Coach Zeigler. He's a family man and that translates to the guys on our team. I've watched him work out his son and he brings that same love to our team. Coach Zeigler is a good person. He is someone you can confide in off the floor, who also helps you on the floor."
Pittsburgh head coach Jamie Dixon
"Ernie is a very good coach, a very good recruiter, and a great person. He is well respected throughout Michigan - he has a lot of friends and contacts and no enemies. He is a hard worker who does a very good job. Ernie has everything it takes to be a successful head coach. CMU is very fortunate to have Ernie Zeigler as its new basketball coach."
MAC Associate Commissioner/Director of Men's Basketball Operations Rick Boyages
"Ernie Zeigler possesses a wide variety of coaching experiences. He has worked within the high school and AAU ranks in Michigan, spent time in professional basketball overseas, coached in the MAC, and most recently, achieved great success inside the Big East and Pac-10 conferences. He has done a magnificent job recruiting for Ben Howland and will bring that same energy to Central Michigan. The MAC family welcomes Ernie back into the conference and to his home state of Michigan."
Nevada head coach Mark Fox
"Ernie Zeigler is well prepared to be a head coach. He has apprenticed under good head coaches and has had success in great leagues. Ernie has great ties in the Midwest and will be able to recruit that part of the country hard. He is a terrific person and has the will to be successful."
Bowling Green head coach Dan Dakich
"Ernie is a great guy, who will work extremely hard and extremely smart at doing what needs to be done to make CMU a force in MAC basketball."
Former Detroit Cody head coach and current president of Detroit PSL Coaches Association Robert Menefee
"Ernie was my captain and, as a player, he had great dedication and an unwillingness to fail. He was an assistant for some of the most productive years in Cody history. We are elated to hear that CMU has hired someone who will be able to recruit Detroit, Flint and the entire state of Michigan. I can see him getting a real stranglehold on the talent here with his ties to the area."
Detroit PSL Coaches Association Executive Director Rueben Washington
"Ernie Zeigler played in Detroit, coached in Detroit, and will be able to recruit Detroit. The Detroit PSL Coaches Association is supportive of CMU's hiring of Ernie and feels it is a positive move for the university. He is a detail-oriented teacher, and that comes from his roots of playing for, and coaching with, Robert Menefee."
UCLA assistant coach Donny Daniels
"Central Michigan is better for hiring a native son in Ernie Zeigler. He has very strong ties in the state, and I'm sure with his contacts and his ability to develop relationships, it will benefit him in attracting quality student-athletes to Central Michigan."
