We're excited to bring you our latest episode featuring Connor Merrill, Head Basketball Coach at Deerfield Academy, where we dive deep into the world of prep school basketball and player development. From Coach Merrill's own journey as a post-grad at Vermont Academy to his coaching stops at Springfield College and Middlebury, we explore what makes Deerfield's program unique in NEPSAC Class A. Our conversation covers everything aspiring student-athletes need to know - from reclassing benefits to college placement strategies - plus we get some fascinating insights about The Holdovers movie filmed on campus and what it really takes for guards to make it at the D1 level.

📌 Key Topics:

✅ Connor Merrill's journey from Vermont Academy post-grad to becoming Deerfield Academy's head coach
✅ Deerfield Academy's prestigious academic standing (12-13% acceptance rate) and competitive Class A basketball program
✅ The differences between NEPSAC divisions (AAA, AA, A) and finding the right fit versus focusing on division classification
✅ College placement process and coach's active role in student recruitment

🗒️ About Connor:

Connor Merrill has served as the head boys varsity basketball coach at Deerfield Academy since summer 2022, bringing extensive experience in both prep school and collegiate basketball. His journey began as a post-graduate student at Vermont Academy, where he later returned as an assistant coach, working with future NBA talents like Bruce Brown and Marcus Santos Silva. During his collegiate playing career at Skidmore College, Merrill was part of historically successful teams that made two NCAA tournament appearances and won two Liberty League championships. His coaching career includes six years at the collegiate level, serving as the top assistant men’s basketball coach at Middlebury College for four years and as a graduate assistant at Springfield College for two years. Under his leadership at Deerfield, Merrill has focused on building a championship culture while maintaining the school’s prestigious academic standards.

🔗 Connect with Connor:

Email | comerrill@deerfield.edu
Twitter | https://x.com/connormerrill33
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/cmerrill33/?hl=en
Twitter | https://x.com/DeerfieldHoops
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/deerfieldbasketball/

🔗 Connect with Cory:

Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | coryheitz@gmail.com
Phone | 859-317-1166

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:

iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ
Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic

In our annual State of the Union episode of the PREP Athletics Podcast, we take you through our extensive tour of prestigious prep schools across the country, sharing exclusive insights and emerging trends in the prep school basketball landscape. During our journey, which started at IMG Academy in Florida and stretched through New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, we uncovered fascinating developments in program expansions, coaching changes, and the evolving NIL landscape. We're particularly excited to share observations about the growing emphasis on girls' programs, innovative NIL proposals, and the changing dynamics of prep school recruitment. Our travels included meaningful visits to historic institutions and conversations with influential coaches who are reshaping the future of prep school athletics

📌 Key Topics and Highlights

✅ Our fifth visit to IMG Academy revealed their significant expansion into girls' programs, marking a growing trend we're seeing across multiple institutions
✅ Former Bryant head coach Jared Grasso is leading an aggressive program rebuild at Knox School, situated just 200 yards from the beach in Long Island
✅ The Masters School, Manhattan's closest prep school at just 15 miles away, offers unique opportunities under Coach Joey Kuhl, former Pitino assistant at Iona
✅ Kiski's transition to co-education and appointment of new coach Joe O'Shea from St Anselm marks significant institutional changes
✅ We're tracking fascinating NIL developments, including an innovative proposal for live-action player tipping through QR codes during games
✅ The rise of high school players securing agents for NIL deals is becoming more prevalent, with some top-tier players now looking at six-figure opportunities
✅ Our visit to West Virginia University provided unique insights into creative engagement strategies, including their successful elementary school outreach program

🔗 Connect with Cory:

Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | coryheitz@gmail.com
Phone | 859-317-1166

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:

iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ
Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic

Join us for an insightful conversation with Coach Jon Stone, who's been leading the Hun School basketball program for 25 years. We dive deep into the Maple League, one of prep basketball's most competitive conferences, and explore how Hun balances elite academics with high-level basketball. Coach Stone shares his journey from playing hockey in Rochester to professional basketball in Europe, before finding his home at Hun.

Learn why Hun only takes two post-graduates per year and how they maintain their stellar academic-athletic balance. We explore what makes a D1 guard in today's game, the unique aspects of Hun's academic curriculum including their innovative Next Term program, and how the school prepares student-athletes for both college academics and athletics.

📌 Key Topics:

✅Maple League competition and two post-graduate system
✅College recruitment strategies
✅Multi-sport athlete development
✅Academic curriculum and Next Term program
✅International student integration

🗒️About Coach Stone:

Coach Stone has transformed Hun School basketball into a powerhouse program while maintaining exceptional academic standards. His international playing experience in Germany, England, and Northern Ireland, combined with his master's degree and coaching experience at the University of Rochester, brings a comprehensive approach to player development

🔗 Connect with Coach Stone:
Website | jonstone@hunschool.org
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hunboysbasketball/
Twitter | https://x.com/hunbasketball?lang=en

🔗 Connect with Cory:

Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | coryheitz@gmail.com
Phone | 859-317-1166

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:

iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ
Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic