BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell men's basketball head coach Kevin McGeehan has announced the addition of Mike Summey and Kurtis Darden to the Fighting Camel staff.  Summey joins the program as assistant coach, while Darden has been named director of basketball operations.
 
"These two men are exemplary leaders of men and simply put, exude character.  Campbell Basketball will be better because of them," said McGeehan.
 
A native of Hickory, and NC State graduate, Summey arrives in Buies Creek after serving the last two years as assistant coach at his alma mater.  In his 23-year career, Summey has coached in the Atlantic Coast as well as the Mid-American, Northeast, Atlantic Sun and Southern conferences.  In addition, he was head coach for one season at Division III Bethany (W.Va.) and head assistant at Division II Queens.
 
"I am extremely grateful to Coach McGeehan for the opportunity to join the Campbell Basketball Family," said Summey.  "Dating back to my college days as a camp counselor, Campbell University has always held a very special place in my heart.  I can't wait to begin working with our players and staff to help continue the outstanding basketball tradition in Buies Creek."
 
During his tenure in Raleigh, Summey helped develop All-ACC member and the league's most improved player Dereon Seabron, as well as all-league and all-rookie team performer Terquavion Smith.
 
Before accepting the position at NC State, Summey served as assistant coach at Bowling Green from 2015-20. At BGSU, Summey helped develop Falcon performers who earned All-MAC recognition 11 times in his five seasons. In 2018-19, Summey helped Bowling Green reach the MAC tournament championship game for the first time in 17 years. The 2020 squad finished with a 21-10 record and was the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament when the season was cancelled because of COVID-19. In his last two years at Bowling Green, Summey helped the Falcons win 21-plus games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1947-49 season.
 
Summey's coaching background includes two seasons (2013-15) as the associate head coach at St. Francis (Pa.).  He also got his first full-time assistant job in college basketball with the Red Flash from 2000-03.
 
Before joining the St. Francis staff, Summey served as director of basketball operations with the Miami Hurricanes for four years from 2009-13, where he oversaw the day-to-day administrative operations of the program, which won its first ACC regular season and tournament titles in school history and was ranked as high as No. 2 nationally.
 
He served as the head coach at Bethany College (W. Va.) during the 2008-09 season and two years as the assistant head coach at North Florida from 2006-08, aiding in the Ospreys' transition to NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Sun.
 
As the head coach for Division III Bethany in 2008-09, the Bison went 17-12 and finished second in the Presidents' Athletic Conference with a 9-3 mark, reached the PAC championship game and earned an ECAC South Region Tournament invitation.
 
Prior to joining the UNF staff, Summey served for two years as an assistant coach at The Citadel from 2004-06. Summey's career has also included a stop at Queens University in Charlotte, N.C. as the top assistant in 2003-04.
 
"Mike Summey is a home run for us," said McGeehan.  "He brings a wealth of experience over a 20-plus year career in coaching.  He has worked at some great places with some outstanding coaches.  We are thrilled to have him join us.  Mike's character stands out in our profession, and I know he will add to our program in a positive way."
 
Darden joined the Fighting Camel staff after spending two seasons as head coach at Freedom Christian Academy in Fayetteville, N.C.  Prior to that Darden served as head coach at Village Christian Academy since 2010.  During that time, he led Village Christian to back-to-back NCISAA 2-A state titles in 2016 and 2017.
 
Over a dozen high school seasons, Darden led his teams to a 243-83 won-lost record and a pair of state runner-up finishes in addition to the two state championships.
 
Originally from Fayetteville, Darden was a staple of the Fayetteville community since playing for Seventy-First Senior High.  He then went on to join the Camels and played for Coach Billy Lee (1999-00) before transferring to Pfeiffer University, where he played for legendary coach Dave Davis.
 
"I'm very thankful for the opportunity that Coach McGeehan has given me to be a part of the staff," said Darden.  "It's great to be back in the Creek and I'm looking forward to the upcoming season."
 
He graduated from Pfeiffer in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in Communications Studies and was commissioned into the United States Air Force.
 
As an active-duty officer, Darden continued his basketball journey by playing for the All-Air Force team from 2005-08.  His teams won the Armed Forces Championship in 2006, 2007 and 2008.  He later served as an assistant coach of the 2011 All-Air Force team that also won the Armed Forces Championship.
 
Lt. Col. Darden is a veteran who continues to serve his country as an IMA reservist assigned to the Air Force Services Center at JBSA-Lackland, Texas.
 
"Kurtis has been an excellent high school coach in the area during my entire tenure here in Buies Creek," said McGeehan.  "He has built many authentic relationships with fellow coaches and players alike.  Those qualities along with being highly organized and motivated will allow him to be an incredible asset as Director of Operations."
 
Summey and Darden join a program that over the last six years has collected 105 victories and three post-season berths – both tops in Campbell's Division I era, which stretches to the 1977-78 campaign.  During that span, the Camels have claimed three Big South trophies. Campbell won the 2019 Big South regular season title and finished as Big South tournament runner-up in 2017 and 2021.