Head Coach Mike Bargen

In just three years as the head coach at Butler Community College, Mike Bargen has returned the once-proud program to its former glory.

The Grizzlies recently put the finishing touches on a season in which they won 29 games, won the Jayhawk West Conference championship for the first time since 2001 and won the Region VI championship for the first time since 1996, qualifying for the NJCAA National Tournament for the fourth time in school history.

The team tied the school record for most conference wins in a season (13) and went 15-1 in home games for the second straight year, once again proving the Power Plant to be an intimidating venue for visiting opponents. The Grizzlies also got big road wins at No. 2 Iowa Western and at Coffeyville. Butler broke into the national rankings for the first time in nine years, and stayed there throughout the season, finishing the year at No. 15.

Individually, sophomore Caleb Walker earned every honor available, being named first-team All-American and Region VI and Jayhawk West Conference Player of the Year. Walker and Anthony Cousin were both named first-team All-Jayhawk West Conference. For his role in orchestrating Butler’s success, Bargen was named Jayhawk West Conference Coach of the Year.

Butler’s return to prominence started the year before, when Bargen led the 2008-2009 team to a 24-9 record. Butler had its most conference wins (11) since 2001 and reached the Region VI semifinals for the first time since 1998. It was also one of the biggest turnarounds in the country going from 9-21 in 2007-2008 and improving 15 games.

The Grizzlies defended their home court, going 8-0 in the non-conference and finished the year 15-1 at the Power Plant. Not only did they win a lot at home, but they won in decisive fashion and averaged a 12 point margin of victory. Big non-conference wins against Coffeyville and Iowa Western headlined the first semester, and was the first time the Grizzlies had beaten either powerhouse in over a decade. An 86-60 route of rival Hutch and an 86-70 win against Conference Champion Barton were high points in the Conference Season.

Before becoming Butler’s head coach, Bargen spent three years as the assistant coach for the Grizzlies, where they posted a 50-44 record, and twice made it to the second round of the Region VI Tournament. In his second season, they finished fourth in the Jayhawk West, winning 20 games, and getting a home play-off game for the first time in five years.

Mike has played a significant role in the development of the Grizzlies, specifically three standouts. In addition to Caleb Walker, Corey Bailey was an NJCAA All-American, First Team All-Region VI, and First Team All-Conference in his sophomore year at Butler. Bailey went on to receive a scholarship to UNLV, where he played in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2007 NCAA Tournament and made it to the 2nd Round in 2008. Ajay Calvin was a First Team All-Region VI and First Team All-Conference selection in 2005 for the Grizzlies and went on to star at Drake University. Ajay lead the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring for most of his senior season, finishing ranked third in scoring and ninth in rebounding.

Prior to Butler Community College, Mike spent three seasons as the graduate manager for Dana Altman at Creighton University. Bargen assisted the men’s basketball staff, while finishing his Master’s in Business Administration. In 2001-2002, the Bluejays won the Missouri Valley Regular Season and Tournament titles and went on to beat the University of Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. In his three seasons at Creighton, the Bluejays compiled a 72-23 record, won one MVC regular-season title, two MVC Tournament titles, advanced to a pair of NCAA Tournaments, and one NIT. Bargen also had the chance to work with All-Conference players Nate Funk, Anthony Tolliver, and Kyle Korver of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Bargen played four seasons at Marquette University from 1995 to 1999 where he was a two year starter and the team captain his senior season. He led the team in rebounds and blocks that year, was second in scoring, and was named the most valuable player.

In 2000-2001 he played professionally in Iceland for Club Haukar. He averaged 22.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in the Nordic League while helping his team to a 5th place finish.

Jon Craig

Jon Craig begins his fourth season at Butler Community College in 2010 and his eighth overall as a collegiate coach.

In 2009-2010, Coach Craig helped the Butler Grizzlies achieve heights that had not been reached in 14 years capturing the Region VI Championship at Koch Arena in Wichita, KS with a 72-60 victory over Coffeyville Community College on March 8, 2010.  The victory vaulted the Grizzlies into the National Tournament and capped off a run that also included a Jayhawk West Conference Championship, a #15 national ranking, a 29-5 overall record, and a 12 game consecutive winning streak in conference play.  In all, Coach Craig has assisted in leading Butler to a 53-16 overall record the past two seasons, a Jayhawk West Conference Championship, and a Region VI Championship.

The 2009-2010 championship season solidified a 2008-2009 season in which Coach Craig played a vital role in one of the country’s biggest one year success stories as Butler posted a 24-9 overall record after a 9-21 overall record in the 2007-2008 season.   In 2008-2009, Coach Craig helped Butler to 24 wins and a birth in the Region VI Semifinals, marking the deepest post-season run in 8 years before falling to eventual Region VI champion Garden City. 

While at Butler, Coach Craig has recruited and assisted in the success of numerous student-athletes. During his three year stint in the Jayhawk West Conference, recognized as one of the nation’s premier junior college conferences, Craig has recruited and coached 1 NJCAA first team All-American, 1 Jayhawk West Conference MVP, 5 Region VI players, 4 Region VI All-Tournament Team players, and 6 All-Conference players.  Overall as a collegiate coach, Craig has helped 16 players earn 4-year level scholarships.

Prior to Butler, Coach Craig was the top assistant at Wabash Valley College in Mt. Carmel, IL during the 2006-2007 season. While there, Craig helped lead Wabash Valley College to a 20-11 record in NJCAA Region 24 play.  In the summer of 2003, Coach Craig entered the coaching profession as a Graduate Assistant at Kansas State University.  As a member of Head Coach Jim Wooldridge's staff at K-State, the Wildcats had their first winning season in six years, posting a 17-12 record in 2004-2005.

Craig graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management in 2003. After graduation, Craig started his graduate degree program and graduated with a Master’s degree in Athletic Administration from Kansas State University in 2005.

Craig is a native of Overland Park, KS, and attended Shawnee Mission South High School. His primary responsibilities at Butler include recruiting, scouting opponents, and conducting individual player workouts. Craig is engaged to the former Emily Wilson  and resides in the El Dorado community.

Steve Donohoe

Coach Donohoe begins his second season at Butler Community College and second overall as a collegiate coach. His primary responsibilities include operations, scouting opponents, individual player workouts and on the floor coaching duties.

During the 2009-2010 seasons, Donohoe adapted quickly to the speed and competency needed to contribute at this level. Adding his knowledge to an already versed coaching staff, Donohoe helped Butler in achieving school records in 3pt FG defense (29.8%) and tying a 17 years school mark in rebounding margin (12).

Donohoe was a part of helping to restore Butler as a mark of success in junior college basketball: Winning the Region VI, a feat that hadn’t been done in fourteen years, a national ranking of #15, a 29-7 overall record, consecutive game winning streak of 12 in conference play, and tying a school record with 13 conference wins.

In one season his impact with the players was felt as he helped coach  an NJCAA All-American, the Jayhawk West Conference MVP, a first-team All-Region VI player and a second-team All-Region VI player, three Region VI All-Tournament Team players, two first team All-Conference players, two different KJCCC Players of the Week, and one NJCAA National Player of the Week. But, Donohoe is most proud assisting in graduating all of the Butler Men’s Basketball Sophomores and watching five players accept athletic scholarships to four-year universities, four of which earned NCAA Division I scholarships.

Prior to coaching at Butler, Donohoe was the director of an AAU club based out of St. Paul, Minnesota. In his seven years as director he helped over 30 athletes graduate and accept athletic/academic scholarships to both two-year and four-year institutions. He maintained a 100% graduation rate during his tenure.

Donohoe attended Concordia University in St. Paul where he studied psychology. He is a native of San Francisco, California; he spent his last 10 years prior to coming to Butler in St. Paul, Minnesota. Donohoe is single and resides in the El Dorado community.