30 Years in the Hammel Era

Hammel enters his 30th season on the sidelines at Merrimack College with a career mark of 427-399 and a team that has been chosen to top the Northeast-10 Conference in 2009-10.

A season ago, Hammel led his Warriors to the program's seventh NCAA tournament and first tournament win since 2000.  With the program’s first 20-win season of the 21st century in 2008-09, the Warriors rattled off three separate four-plus win streaks throughout the 2008-09 year under Hammel. Four Warriors averaged double-figure scoring for a team that was tops in the Northeast-10 Conference in points per game (80.8), while boasting the league’s highest turnover margin (+6.53), thanks in large part to senior captain Darren Duncan’s conference-best 7.7 assists per game.

In 2008-09, Merrimack started 9-1 for the first time in Hammel’s tenure, but also school history. Their 20 wins before the tournament last year also marked the first time since 1998-99.

Three of Hammel's recruits (Duncan, Mency and Mack) were named to the Northeast-10 All-Conference team in the spring of 2009.  Duncan, also a Bob Cousy Award finalist, was named to the First Team, while Mency and Mack were named to the Second Team and All-Rookie squad, respectively.

Hammel's legacy

In 2000, the Warriors captured both the Northeast-10 regular season and tournament crowns before falling in the regional semifinals. The Hammel-led Warriors also went to the NCAA tourney in 1991 and 1992.

Fifteen Merrimack players have garnered Northeast-10 All-Conference honors under Hammel, including First Team selections Paul Neal (1989, 1999, 1991), Steve Curran (1992), Reggie Carter (2000) and Darren Duncan (2008). Neil was also named Northeast-10 Player of the Year in 1991 and was inducted into the Merrimack Hall of Fame in 2004. Carter earned Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2000 and Kenny Jones (2007) accomplished the same feat as a senior.

At the conclusion of the 1982-83 seasons, Joe Dickson was named both All-America and Academic All-America and is No. 2 in scoring in school history with 2,130 points.

In 1986-87, Steve Scott was named Northeast-8 Rookie of the Year and, more recently, Darren Duncan and Dee Mency took home Rookie of the Year honors in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
Hammel has also brought Merrimack two Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships. In 1997-98, the No. 4 seed Warriors downed Saint Michael’s College in the finals. The following year, Merrimack earned the top seed in the tournament and knocked off New Jersey Tech, 96-82.

Hammel has developed many outstanding guards during his time in North Andover. He coached Gary Duda (1989-92), who earned Academic All-American honors and still ranks among the top three-point shooters in Division II history, as well as Daren Alix, who was recognized as one of the premier three-point shooters in Division II in 1996. In 1999-00, Shawn Brown led the nation in assists amongst Division II players while Bobby Murgo finished his career with over 600 dimes.

Hammel has developed and helped 15 of his former players move into coaching careers of their own including: Bill Herrion (’81, head coach University of New Hampshire), Chris Mohr (’97, assistant and University of New Hampshire), Greg Herenda (’83, head coach UMass Lowell), Steve Curren (’92, assistant coach at Central Connecticut State University), Tom Herrion (’89, associate coach at University of Pittsburgh), and Micky Burtnyk (’08) who returned to Merrimack as an assistant coach in 2009.

Others have taken on coaching roles at the high school level, including Tom Sipsey (’07, Whittier Tech), Paul Neal (91), Dave Keefe (84), Rob Pavinelli (85), Rich Barden (01), Jeff Caron (99), John McVeigh (98), and Larry Merritt (96). Former manager Peter Paladino (86) is the Director of Athletics at Central Catholic High School.

Community Service

During Hammel’s time at Merrimack, he has also helped make Warrior basketball a fixture in the community. In addition to serving as the camp director for Merrimack’s basketball camps, he also developed and maintains the Academic Basketball Awareness (ABA) Camp in conjunction with the Lawrence Boys Club. Each summer, campers are invited to play basketball and study for one week.

Hammel has twice been honored by the City of Lawrence for his work with the Boys Club, and in 2000 received the UMass Amherst Sports Management Program Service Beyond Recognition Award for founding and coordinating the ABA Camp. Hammel also instituted the ‘Read with the Warriors’ program in which Merrimack players travel to elementary schools in the Merrimack Valley to help youngsters strengthen their reading skills.

His players are also regulars at the Boys Club, volunteering their time to help with the development of area youth. Hammel and the Warriors also make special days more meaningful for the boys club children by offering their time at the Boys Club Halloween and Christmas Parties as well as other special club events.

“What Bert does comes right from his heart,” said Steve Kelly, associate director of the Lawrence Boys Club. “Most importantly, he believes that each of our kids is a diamond in the rough who wants to be a polished gem. Bert teaches us that greatness is not something inherent, but something to be cultivated and encouraged. He teaches us that our goals – no matter what they may be – are determined by our desire, not our background – and that in turn determines our success. Bert makes us believe that nothing is impossible if we are willing to pay the price. He is a real life hero to so many of the kids of the LBGC.”

Hammel was the recipient of the 2007 Literacy Champion Award presented by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). The award is given to someone who has used the game of basketball, his program, and his players to promote the importance of reading, writing, and technological skills to children. The award recognizes the ongoing selfless efforts in bringing the importance of enhanced literacy skills through visits to schools, inviting students to their campuses, and acquiring funding to support their projects of promoting reading and literature.

Hammel is a two-time Paul Schoenfeld Sportsmanship Award, receiving the honor in 1996-97 and 2000-01. The award is given annually to one of over 200 schools in the New England Region which best epitomizes character, ethics and integrity in the game of basketball.

Pre head coaching days

In 1974, Hammel joined the men’s basketball program as an assistant coach following a his college playing days at Bentley College. Hammel learned his coaching skills from then head coach Frank Monahan for five seasons, which included NCAA tourney bids in 1977 and 1978.

Hammel attended Bentley College ('73) where he became a three-year starter for the Falcons and scored 1,209 career points (15.3 per game). As a senior, Hammel served as co-captain and was named the Falcons Most Valuable Player. For his efforts, Hammel was selected to the Division II All-New England squad and still ranks among the leaders in scoring and rebounding at Bentley. In 1973, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

In 1979, Hammel left Merrimack to become the chief scout for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association. One year later the Merrimack head coaching position became available and Hammel was named the seventh coach in Merrimack men’s basketball history.

Personal

Bert and his wife, Jill, reside in Methuen, Mass. with their three children – Alexandria (17), Lucas (15) and Cooper (13).

Burtnyk returns to Merrimack for his first year on the men's basketball coaching staff following an illustrious career under Coach Hammel (2004-08) in which he guided the Warriors to 54 total wins and an NCAA Tournament berth in his final year. Over the course of three seasons at Merrimack, Burtnyk tallied 830 points.

Coaching Merrimack to over 400 wins, Hammel introduced Burtnyk as the ninth assistant coach in the Bert Hammel era on Thursday, September 10.  Following former assistant Joe Gallo as the second consecutive former Warrior point guard, Burtnyk feels fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the 29th year coach.

“It’s great to be back at Merrimack and be part of such a rich basketball tradition,” Burtnyk said. “I feel lucky to have the opportunity to work with Coach Hammel and some of the guys I played with as a senior.”

With the departure of Gallo, Hammel is a believer that Burtnyk will follow in his footsteps as a great asset to the program.

“Micky is what Merrimack basketball is all about,” Hammel said. “His strong work ethic and commitment to getting our program to the next level is what will make him so valuable. I think it will be a smooth transition because [the players he played alongside] respected him on the court, and that will translate into respect for him as a coach.”

John Miller enters his sixth season as an assistant coach on head coach Bert Hammel’s staff.

Miller served as the head basketball coach at Chelsea High School from 1987-89 before accepting a position with Autodesk. From 1991-2001, he served as Vice President of Worldwide Sales.  Miller has also served as Vice President of sales for Maximum Thoughput.

A 1985 graduate of Assumption College, Miller was a four-year member of the Greyhounds basketball team. He finished his career with 903 points and 600 rebounds. As a freshman, Miller scored 235 points and grabbed 143 rebounds. He pulled down a career-high 193 rebounds as a sophomore, an average of six rebounds per game. He was a high school All-America selection at Boston College High School.

Miller resides in North Andover with his wife, Debbie, and children Brendan, Christopher, John and Melissa.