Getting a look at a college basketball coaching position can takes years for most prospective candidates. For former Cave Spring High School graduate Greg Mackey, perseverance and determination, along with plenty of commitment and hard work, has paid big dividends in his search for that elusive position.
Mackey has been named a graduate assistant for University of North Carolina-Charlotte and will be working under Mark Blaikoski, Director of Basketball Operations for the 49ers, a Division-I program who will be be making the move to Conference USA in all sports this fall.
Mackey was a senior captain of the 2009 Cave Spring High School basketball team that captured the VHSL Group AA state championship under current Cave Spring head coach Billy Hicks. A three-year starter for the Knights, Mackey was described by Hicks in a 2009 interview as “an extension of Billy Hicks on the floor. Greg exemplifies the three most important traits for any of my players: preparation, hard work and character.” In addition to his basketball leadership, Mackey also excelled in the classroom, and was named the Cave Spring Knight his senior year at Cave Spring, considered the most prestigious honor any student can receive at the Southwest County school.
After graduating from Cave Spring in 2009, Mackey attended Virginia Tech where he was a basketball manager under former Hokie head coach Seth Greenberg. Mackey returned to Cave Spring last season where he was an assistant coach under Hicks while graduating from Tech.
After learning of the opening at UNC-Charlotte, Mackey sent his resume to 49er assistant Ryan Odom, and was invited to work several basketball camps hosted by the team earlier this summer. After likewise receiving a recommendation by Greenberg to 49er head basketball coach Alan Major, Mackey received the offer.
by Bill Turner
