There is one common denominator for many of the most successful seasons in the spectacular history of MSU Denver men's basketball: the presence of Michael Bahl.
The former Roadrunners star and national leader in 3-point percentage begins his fifth season as Metropolitan State University of Denver's men's basketball coach in 2021-22.
Bahl followed the program in his youth as the Roadrunners, led by coach Mike Dunlap, went 166-33 over six seasons with national championships in both 2000 and 2002 as well as a Final Four trip in 1999. Bahl joined the program as a player for the 2003-04 season and played on teams that went 110-21 over four seasons, with two appearances in the Elite Eight. He returned to the program as an assistant coach for the 2010-11 season and during seven years as an assistant, he was a part of teams than went 173-50.
Heading into the 2021-22 season, with Bahl serving as a player, assistant or head coach, the Roadrunners have compiled a record of 331-123. As head coach, his teams are 48-52 through four seasons.
This is his 12th season overall on the coaching staff after serving as an assistant coach for the previous seven seasons. He has helped the Roadrunners to five NCAA Division II tournament appearances, three regional championships, three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular-season championships and two RMAC tournament championships.
MSU Denver returned to the RMAC Tournament in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, earning the league's fourth seed while going 9-8 overall and 9-6 in RMAC play. Under Bahl's tutelage, forward Laolu Oke emerged from a backup big man to a full-fledged force who was third in Division II with an average of 12.2 rebounds per game (including a national-best 5.5 offensive boards per game) who also averaged a double-double with his scoring average of 11.3. Oke set school records for both rebounding average and field goal percentage while also tying school records for rebounds in a game (20) and consecutive double-doubles. While Oke earned RMAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, transfers Tyrei Randall and Keyshaad Dixon both made immediate contributions.
A second straight tough-luck season befuddled MSU Denver in 2020-21, and the Roadrunners finished 12-16 overall and 8-14 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Injuries and illness hit early in the season, but the team was still riding a three-game winning streak and was 9-7 overall and 5-5 in the RMAC in mid-January, with a win over then No. 19 Dixie State under its belt and three league losses of two points or less. But depth became an issue late in the season.
Bahl's star-crossed second MSU Denver team went 12-14 overall and finished ninth in the RMAC at 10-12 in 2018-19. MSU Denver lost 10 teams by six points or less, including eight in league play. Guard Druce Asah earned All-RMAC second team honors, while forward Kendall McIntosh was an honorable mention selection.
Bahl's first MSU Denver team went 15-14 overall, but was 14-8 in RMACÂ play to finish tied for fifth in the league. Guard Cameron Williams earned All-RMAC first-team honors.
As an assistant, Bahl helped recruit and coach Division II national players of the year Brandon Jefferson (2013-14) and Mitch McCarron (2014-15), other All-Americans in Reggie Evans, Jonathan Morse and Nicholas Kay, and three straight RMAC players of the year (Morse, Jefferson and McCarron). All of those players were All-RMAC selections at least once with Bahl on the sidelines, as were A.J. Flournoy (third team) in 2011, Demetrius Miller (second team) in 2013, Jamal McClerkin (third team) in 2014, Tony Dobbinson (first team) in 2016, and Brian Howard (second team) in 2017.
The Roadrunners finished the 2016-17 season, Bahl's last as an assistant, with a 17-13 record overall and went 12-10 in the RMAC. The previous year, the Roadrunners came up just short in a bid to win a fourth straight RMAC championship, finishing 19-11 overall and 16-6 in conference play.
In 2014-15, MSU Denver became the second team in RMAC history and first since 1982 to win three consecutive RMAC regular-season championships. The Roadrunners were 26-6 overall and 19-3 in the RMAC.
The 2013-14 team is considered arguably the best team in school history not to win a national championship. The Roadrunners finished with the best record in NCAA Division II at 32-2 (.941) and became just the third team in RMACÂ history to go undefeated in conference play at 22-0. After spending a school-record eight weeks ranked No. 1 in the nation, MSU Denver rolled through the RMAC tournament and the South Central Region tournament, knocking off a pair of top-25 teams on the way to the Elite Eight. The Roadrunners then won 106-87 over Tuskegee (Ala.) in the quarterfinals and were the only team in Division II to score 100 points in a postseason game in 2014. It took a last second shot by eventual national champion Central Missouri to end the Roadrunners' season in the semifinals.
MSU Denver had just tied the school record for best winning percentage in a season in 2012-13, going 32-3 (.914). The season started with 22 straight wins, the best start for any team in school history. The first setback came Feb. 22 at No. 17 Fort Lewis, but MSU Denver responded for a convincing win the following night at Adams State. The Roadrunners swept the RMAC tournament, winning the championship game 61-60 over Fort Lewis to avenge the previous loss. The winning streak reached six games after the regional tournament, hosted by MSU Denver after earning the No. 1 seed in the South Central Region. It was the first time the Roadrunners had hosted a regional tournament since 2005.
In his second season, Bahl helped the Roadrunners to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005, helping them peak during the postseason. The young team posted a 25-7 overall record, including 17-5 in the RMAC. Despite the strong finish, the historic season ran through a rough stretch in late January and early February. MSU Denver opened the season with 12 straight wins, vaulting the Roadrunners to a No. 1 ranking for a then-school record three straight weeks. After a tough road loss at No. 12 Colorado School of Mines, they ran off five more wins before a stretch of four losses in five games.
In his first season, 2010-11, the Roadrunners went 22-8 and advanced past the first round of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007. MSU Denver also won its first game against a nationally-ranked opponent since 2005, defeating No. 18 Mary (N.D.) 78-73 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The team was led by ReggieEvans, who was named Daktronics first team all-region. Two players were also named Academic All-RMAC.
Bahl joined the Roadrunners after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at the high school level. Bahl was an assistant coach in 2008-09 at Arapahoe High School and coached the 2009-10 season as the junior varsity head coach at Golden High School.
He is no stranger to MSU Denver, as his name dots the men's basketball record books. The sharpshooter lettered for the Roadrunners for four seasons from 2002 through 2007, starting 64 games in his career. He ranks fifth all-time in 3-point field goals made (168) and attempted (366), sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (.459) and only recently slid out of the top 10 in free throw percentage (.809).
As a senior, he led the nation in 3-point shooting, connecting on 52.0 percent (105 for 202) from the outside. As a result, he averaged 14.9 points and was named first team All-RMAC. Bahl was also an excellent student, earning Academic All-RMAC honors three times in his career and being named MSU Denver Student-Athlete of the Year as a senior.
During his four-year career, he helped MSU Denver post a 110-21 record and capture three regularseason RMAC championships and three RMAC Shootout championships. He was also a two-year team captain and led the team to the NCAA tournament all four years.
Bahl graduated from MSU Denver in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in history and a minor in social science. He lives Thornton, Colo., with his wife Amy and daughters Alice, Abby and Annie.Â
Bahl's Collegiate Head Coaching Record
| Year |
School |
Overall |
Conf. |
Postseason/Championships |
| 2017-18 |
MSU Denver |
15-14 |
14-8 |
|
| 2018-19 |
MSU Denver |
12-14 |
10-12 |
|
| 2019-20 |
MSU Denver |
12-16 |
 8-14 |
|
| 2020-21 |
MSU Denver |
 9-8 |
 9-6 |
|
| 4 years |
Overall Record |
48-52 |
41-40 |
|
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