Michael Rejniak - Senior Recruiting Coordinator at NCSA, Head Coach/GM of We Are D3 TBT, & Former College Coach - Episode 1045

Michael Rejniak is a Senior Recruiting Specialist at NCSA, the GM/Head Coach of the “We Are D3” team in the TBT tournament, and a former college coach. Rejniak began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at The College of New Jersey from 2004-2006. His next stop was an assistant coach at Plymouth State for one season before he joined Hall of Fame Coach Dave Hixon as an assistant at Amherst for four seasons from 2007-2011. Coach Rej got his first opportunity as a head coach at Suny New Paltz where his teams recorded the most conference wins (9) since 1999 during the 2013 and 2015 seasons and he coached 5 All-Conference student-athletes and 4 1,000 pt scorers. Off the court, his teams equally performed well in the classroom, receiving the NABC Academic Team Excellence Award (cumulative team GPA of 3.0) his final 3 seasons. Following his six-year run at Suny New Paltz, Michael served as an assistant coach at Vassar College under BJ Dunne for one season before joining NCSA. Coach Rej has been the GM and Head Coach of the We are D3 TBT Team since 2018. The team competes annually in the TBT and is comprised of all former Division 3 All-Americans who are currently playing professionally.On this episode Mike and Coach Rej discuss the evolving landscape of college basketball recruitment and the challenges faced by Division 3 athletes. Rejniak emphasizes the importance of understanding the recruiting process early and how it has shifted from high school to AAU tournaments, affecting athletes’ visibility to college coaches. He discusses his journey from coaching at various levels to advocating for Division 3 players, highlighting the need for quality instruction and the unique skills that set successful players apart. Michael also reflects on the dynamics of coaching his own children and the balance between being a parent and a coach. The conversation delves into the significance of mental resilience in athletes, the impact of NIL on college sports, and the ongoing mission to elevate the visibility of Division 3 basketball.Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.Make sure you’re subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and while you’re there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you’re hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.Take some notes as you listen to this episode with Michale Rejniak, Senior Recruiting Specialist at NCSA, the GM/Head Coach of the “We Are D3” team in the TBT tournament, and a former college coach.Website - https://www.ncsasports.org/ncsa-staff/michael-rejniakEmail - [email protected]/X - @CoachrejMagic Mind - The Shortcut to a Better Year? A Better Brain.Say goodbye to burnout, procrastination and sleepless nights, and hello to a sharper mind, calmer energy, and less stress.Two delicious daily shotsIncrease your productivity in the dayReset with deep restorative sleep at nightClinically-proven ingredients, science-backed resultsGet 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with with my link:https://www.magicmind.com/hoopheadsjanVisit our Sponsors!Give With HoopsGive With Hoops is a groundbreaking initiative that fuses basketball analytics with modern sponsorship. Built for teams who see data as opportunity, from AAU programs to college powerhouses. By tying on-court performance directly to community and sponsor engagement, Give With Hoops help programs raise more while deepening support from those who believe in the game.D3 Direct Recruiting PlaybookHoop Heads Listeners currently get 25% off!Your step-by-step guide to getting recruited as a college athlete at the NCAA Division 3 level. This course is designed by former D3 Athletes to take you from zero interest from college coaches to securing your first offer and putting you on the path to committing.The Coaching PortfolioYour first impression is everything when applying for a new coaching job. A professional coaching portfolio is the tool that highlights your coaching achievements and philosophies and, most of all, helps separate you and your abilities from the other applicants. Special Price of just $25 for all Hoop Heads Listeners.Wealth4CoachesEmpowering athletic coaches with financial education, strategic planning, and practical tools to build lasting wealth—on and off the court.If you listen to and love the Hoop Heads Podcast, please consider giving us a small tip that will help in our quest to become the #1 basketball coaching podcast. https://hoop-heads.captivate.fm/supportTwitter/X Podcast - @hoopheadspodMike - @hdstarthoopsJason - @jsunkleInstagram@hoopheadspodFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/hoopheadspod/YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDoVTtvpgwwOVL4QVswqMLQ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.