Charles Baker - Men's Basketball Coach - University of Colorado Athletics

Charles Baker

Title:
Assistant Coach

Charles Baker wrapped up his second year on the University of Colorado coaching staff having been an assistant with the Buffaloes since the 2007-08 season.

Bringing a wealth of coaching experience as a head coach and as an assistant, Baker, 42, came to Boulder after spending the 2006-07 season at Louisiana Tech where he was also an assistant from 1998-2000. While at Tech, Baker assisted the Bulldogs to the 1999 Sun Belt title. Baker spent six seasons from 2000-2006 with the Kansas State University program under former head coach Jim Wooldridge.

"Charles brings 20-plus years of experience as a very successful recruiter, a former head coach and a long-time assistant with vast knowledge of the Big 12," Bzdelik said.

During his tenure in Manhattan, Baker helped assemble three Top-25 recruiting classes during his last five seasons, including the nation’s best class in 2002-03 according to Hoop Scoop magazine. Baker has helped recruit three consensus Top-100 players to Kansas State the last three years, including former Parade All-American Cartier Martin (second team All-Big 12 in back-to-back seasons and the Big 12’s inaugural Sixth Man of the Year in 2006-07). He also played a major role in recruiting Jeremiah Massey, who was an All-Big 12 second team selection by both the coaches and media in 2004-05, after earning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honor from The Associated Press and Dallas Morning News as a junior.

Baker came to Manhattan from Louisiana Tech, where he was initially hired by Jim Wooldridge in 1998 before Wooldridge left to coach the Chicago Bulls. He stayed on to serve under new coach Keith Richard for the next two years, helping coach the Bulldog post players and leading the program’s recruiting efforts.

During his two-season stint, Baker helped guide the Bulldogs to their first Sun Belt Conference regular-season championship since 1991-92. Overall, Baker helped Louisiana Tech post a 40-17 (.702) record from 1998-2000, including a 23-9 mark in Sun Belt Conference play.

Before Baker’s tenure at Louisiana Tech, he coached at Shorter Junior College for five seasons, turning a 1-29 team into a consistent winner. At Shorter, he led his teams to four consecutive Arkansas State Junior College championships, four straight 20-win seasons and a 121-31 (.796) record.

Baker started his coaching career in 1990 as an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, Tenn. During his short time at MTSU, he helped guide the Blue Raiders to a 21-9 overall record.

Born May 27, 1966 in North Little Rock, Ark., Baker is a 1990 graduate of Eastern Kentucky. He earned a bachelor’s in physical education and has a son, Rojae (22).