Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- amiskdee@kent.edu
- Phone:
- 330-672-8449
Kent State University head coach Rob Senderoff announced Akeem Miskdeen as an assistant coach for Kent State prior to the 2016-17 season.
Miskdeen brings a winning pedigree to the Kent State coaching staff, having made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. That run started in his previous position at Hampton and carried over to Kent State in his first year with the program.
During the Flashes' run to the NCAA Tournament, Miskdeen helped develop Kent State's backcourt to success. Miskdeen worked directly with the guards during a year that saw sophomore Jaylin Walker breakout late in the season. Working with Miskdeen, Walker more than doubled his scoring average to 15.8 points per game. Walker's development resulted in a 30-point performance in the MAC Championship game against rivals Akron, picking up MAC Tournament MVP in the process.
Miskdeen's work with Kent State's guards helped build a foundation for the future, with Walker, Jalen Avery, Desmond Ridenour and Kevin Zabo all returning in 2017-18.
Miskdeen came to Kent after spending five seasons on the staff at Hampton, where he was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2013-14 season. He helped guide the Pirates to NCAA Tournament appearances each of the past two seasons. In 2015, Hampton defeated Manhattan in a first-round match-up for the program’s second-ever NCAA Tournament win.
Miskdeen was the Pirates’ recruiting coordinator, and he was also responsible for guard development, opponent scouting, and coordinating the team’s travel. He played a key role in recruiting First Team All-MEAC guards Quinton Chievous and Reginald Johnson, Jr. from his hometown of Chicago.
This past season, Miskdeen helped guide the Pirates to a 21-11 overall record and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular season title with a mark of 13-3 before defending the conference tournament championship to earn the MEAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The regular season title was Hampton’s first since the 2001-02 season.
In addition to Chievous and Johnson, Miskdeen was key in the development of guard Deron Powers. The 2013 MEAC Rookie of the Year earned Third Team All-MEAC honors, as well as the MEAC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honors during his junior season.
The past five years were the second stint at Hampton for Miskdeen, who served as Director of Basketball Operations during the 2008-09 season. In that capacity, he oversaw on-campus recruiting, monitored study hall, coordinated team travel and assisted the rest of the coaching staff in their day-to-day activities.
Miskdeen made his return to the Hampton after one-year stops at Division II Mount Olive College (N.C.) and Division II Wingate University (N.C.). During the 2009-10 season, he helped Mount Olive to a 25-6 overall record, as well as Conference Carolinas regular season and tournament titles and earned a No. 25 national ranking while advancing to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Miskdeen then accepted a job at Wingate prior to the 2010-11 season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped guide them to a 19-10 record and oversaw the development of Odell Turner, a First Team All-Conference selection, and Jaime Vaughn, who earned Second Team honors.
A native of Chicago, Ill., Miskdeen spent two years at Laramie County (Wyo.) Community College before transferring to Queens University (N.C.) in 2006. Miskdeen served as team captain both years at Laramie, and he is the school’s all-time assists leader with 306. He was named Laramie Student of the Year in 2006. At Queens, Miskdeen was a two-time Defensive MVP and served as team captain during the 2007-08 season. He led Queens to back-to-back NCAA Division II Tournament appearances.
A 2008 graduate of Queens with a bachelor of arts in corporate communication, he recently received a Master’s degree in sports administration from Hampton University.
Miskdeen is married to the former LaSherra Joyner.
