Mike Neighbors begins his first year as an assistant coach with the University of Colorado women’s basketball program as he joined the staff on May 16, 2005. He coordinates the scouting and scheduling of all opponents, and assists in post and perimeter player development, practice planning and recruiting.
Neighbors, 36, came to Colorado from the University of Tulsa where he was an assistant under Kathy McConnell-Miller who had been named head women’s basketball coach at CU just a few weeks earlier. He spent four seasons at Tulsa with McConnell-Miller where he coordinated opponent scouting, scheduling, assisted with player development and served as one of the Golden Hurricane’s primary recruiters.
In Neighbors’ four seasons at Tulsa, he saw the program climb to new heights. The Golden Hurricane compiled a 69-52 mark with Neighbors on the bench and advanced to a pair of WNIT postseason tournaments the only two postseason appearances in team history. Tulsa also achieved 31 conference wins during that span including a pair of third place finishes in the Western Athletic Conference
Neighbors’ recruiting efforts helped Tulsa claim a top-25 class in 2003-04 (for two or fewer signees) and the 2004-05 class was the WAC’s best and ranked 43rd in the nation. A Tulsa player gained either WAC first or second team honors each of his four years and, in 2003, he helped Allison Curtin gain honorable mention All-America honors.
“Coach Neighbors is a great asset to me on the floor,” McConnell-Miller said. “Off the floor, his scouting and game day preparation is second to none. In addition to scouting and recruiting, Mike will assist with player development, and he will challenge our players and this program every time we step on the floor.”
Prior to his arrival at Tulsa, Neighbors spent two seasons (1999-2001) as a women’s basketball administrative assistant for the University of Arkansas Lady Razorbacks. During his tenure, the Lady Razorbacks 37-28 overall advancing to the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament and reaching the semifinals of the 2000 WNIT.
Before moving to the collegiate ranks, he was a successful head coach in the Arkansas girls’ high school ranks. He led Cabot High School to a 19-9 record in 1998-99 placing second in the Class AAAAA-East Conference and earning a state appearance. In four years at Bentonville High School (1994-98) he was twice named the Benton County Coach of the Year and led his team to the 1997 Class AAAAA state finals.
A native of Greenwod, Ark., Neighbors earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas in 1993, after completing his associate's degree at Westark (Ark.) Community College.
