Cecil College men's head basketball coach Ed Durham steps down

NORTH EAST, MD: Ed Durham has announced he is stepping down as Cecil College men’s basketball head coach on Tuesday. Assistant coach Emeka Chiazor will take over as the interim head coach for the 2025-2026 season. Durham will remain as Cecil’s director of athletics.

Durham spent nine seasons as Cecil’s head coach, capturing three Region 20 Division 2 championships. He coached the Seahawks to three NJCAA Division 2 National Tournament appearances, headlined by a third-place finish in the 2018-2019 season.

The 2024-2025 campaign marked Durham’s sixth 20-win season at Cecil. He finishes his career with 177 wins.

Durham also served as an assistant coach for 10 seasons and was a member of the staff that won the 2005-2006 NJCAA D2 National Championship.

Durham coached several players who went on to play professional basketball, including Khalid Gates and Jacob Falko. Many of his players have gone on to compete at the NCAA level.

“While I will miss the daily interactions with players and coaches, as well as the practices and games, I have made the difficult decision to step down,” said Durham. “For me, I think it was time [to step down]. I have been a coach in some capacity at Cecil College for over 25 years. I look forward to continuing in my role as Director of Athletics for Cecil. I believe that the Cecil men’s basketball program is in good hands with Coach Chiazor, and I will be the team’s biggest fan.”

Chiazor joined Cecil’s coaching staff prior to the 2024-2025 season. He helped guide the Seahawks to a 23–8 record and the No. 2 seed in the Region 20 D2 tournament. His previous coaching stops include Harford Community College and Howard Community College, as well as a stint under Ron “Fang” Mitchell at Coppin State University.

“I want to take a moment to thank Coach Durham for his incredible leadership, dedication, and the strong foundation he has built here at Cecil College,” said Chiazor. “His impact on this program, and on each of the young men he coached throughout the years, goes far beyond the basketball court. While it’s not easy to see him step away, we fully support his decision and are grateful that he will still be a part of our journey as Cecil's athletic director.”

“I am truly humbled and honored to step into the role of head coach,” Chiazor continued. “The standards of hard work, accountability, and unity that Coach Durham instilled in this program will continue to guide us moving forward. He may not be on the sideline with us, but his fingerprints are all over this team. We will honor his legacy by carrying that standard forward and striving for excellence with Seahawk pride.”

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