T-Birds Hire Jake Deer as Assistant Director of Athletics

New Mexico Junior College is pleased to announce the hiring of Jake Deer as the Assistant Director of Athletics.

"We're excited to welcome Jake Deer to the Thunderbird family," NMJC Director of Athletics Kayla Weaver said. "Jake brings a great combination of coaching experience and administrative leadership. He's a hard worker, a man of great character, and someone who genuinely cares about the people he leads. Those are the qualities that help build a strong culture, and I'm confident he'll make a positive impact on our department and our student-athletes."

Deer comes to NMJC after spending the past two seasons (2024-26) as the head men's basketball coach at Columbia College in Columbia, S.C. Deer was the first men's basketball coach for Columbia State helping found the Koalas program in the spring of 2024.

"I want to say thank you to President Mitchell, Ms. Kayla Weaver, as well as the entire committee within this process," Jake Deer said. "I was blown away with the hospitality shown, the vision, and the commitment to excellence for the student-athletes. New Mexico Junior College Athletics has an incredible tradition committed to excellence and I cannot be more excited to join Ms. Weaver and the team to continue this mission." 

Coach Deer led Columbia State to a 14-14 record in Year 1, their first winning conference record (10-9) in Year 2, and had three players earn All-Conference honors during his time with the Koalas.

Deer, a native of Valley, AL, spent five seasons (2019-2024) as the head men's basketball coach at a former AAC school, Point University (Ga.) leading the team to 76 wins over five seasons.

While at Point, Deer increased team wins from eight the year prior to 17 in his first season. He won the AAC Regular Season Championship and was named the AAC Coach of the Year in 2021. Deer coached five All-Conference first team selections and increased team GPA from 2.0 to 3.25 over his time at Point while also achieving a winning record in four of his five seasons.

During his second year at the helm of Point, Deer continued to build on the success the team had accomplished in the previous season and had the best season in program history. The team finished the season 20-7 and led the Appalachian Athletic Conference going into postseason play. The team received votes and broke into the top-25 at No. 25 in the NAIA Coaches' Poll for the first time since 2012. The Skyhawks set a new school record during the 2020-21 season with a 10-game winning streak. Deer was named AAC Coach of the Year and had two players earn a spot on the All-AAC first team. He then led the team to another winning record in 2021-22 going 18-16 overall and 13-13 in conference before losing to the AAC Champion Union by three in OT in the tournament. His 2022-23 team then went 15-14 overall and 14-10 in conference.

Before heading to Point, Deer served as the Associate Head Men's Coach for the University of Texas at Tyler (UTT), a NCAA Div. II school, from 2014-2019. While there, he also served as the Asst. Director of Athletic Development and helped the program to three winning records in his five seasons along with 57 total wins including going 17-9 in the 2017-18 season.

Before heading to Tyler, Texas, Deer served as the Asst. Men's Basketball Coach at nearby Francis Marion University in Florence, SC during the 2013-14 season compiling a 12-15 record with 8 conference wins in the tough Peach Belt Conference.

Deer got his start in coaching in 2007 when he began a six-year head coaching stint at Johnson University in Florida (formerly Florida Christian College), a National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Div. II school. From 2007-2013, Deer graduated 90 percent of his players, coached nine all-region selections and three second team All-Americans.

While at Johnson, Deer led his team to 26 wins in the 2012-13 season, including their highest ranking in school history at #2 in 2012. They were the South Region Regular Season Champs in back-to-back years in '12 and '13 while also making two NCCAA National Tournament appearances. His 2012 team made the Elite Eight while his 2013 team made the Final Four earning him South Region Coach of the Year.

Coach Deer also served as Johnson University's Director of Athletics (2007-08) before transitioning to Executive Director of Admissions (2008-11). There he helped Johnson's enrollment increase by 65% in three years.

Deer graduated from Southport High School in Indianapolis in 2000. He attended the University of Southern Indiana for one year before transferring to Florida Christian College.  He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Leadership from Florida Christian College in 2004 and completed his Master of Arts degree in College Athletic Administration from Coker College (S.C.) in the spring of 2015.

Deer arrives in Hobbs, NM with his wife Carrie and daughter Genesis.