Craig Carse, the 26^th head coach in the history of the Hardin-Simmons men's basketball program, is in his fifth season as the Cowboy's head man.

Carse has coached at the NAIA, NCAA Division I, II and III levels. He won his 300^th career game in the 2009-10 season. He goes into the 2012-13 season with a record of 344-241 in 21 seasons as a college head coach.

In his career, he has won conference championships in the Presidents Athletic, West Virginia Intercollegiate, Southeastern, Pacific West and Heartland conferences. He has guided teams to national tournament appearances at the NAIA, NCAA I, II and III levels.

His 2011-12 Hardin-Simmons team won the most games at HSU in the Division III era with a 21-7 mark and the team went to the ASC Championship game, falling in overtime.

He led the Cowboys to a 17-10 record and a berth in the ASC Tournament in 2010-11 and the Cowboys advanced to the semifinals. His team placed second in the ASC West.

He has a record of 54-51 at HSU in four seasons.

He coaced Matt Addison to all-region and all-ASC honors as a junior and in 2012 he was again all-conference and all-region as well as all-American and the ASC West Player of the Year.

Addison (2011, 2012) and Carlos Singer (2010) have earned first-team all-ASC West honors under Carse. Terrance Willis was a second-team selection in 2009 and John Derr (2012), Derrick Jefferson (2011, 2012), George Nelson (2012), Casey Riddle (2010 and 2011), Singer (2009) and Andy Spears (2012) have been named honorable mention all-ASC West. 

Jefferson (2011) and John Derr (2010) have been named to the ASC West all-freshman teams and Jefferson (2012), Riddle (2011) and Willis (2009) have been named to the ASC West all-defensive team under Carse's tutelage.

Riddle (2009, 2010, 2011), Ryan Carlson (2011, 2012), Jeff Holland (2012), Marcus Smith (2009), Spears (2012) and Jim Walter (2012) have earned academic all-ASC honors.

Carse's first HSU team in 2008-09 set the American Southwest Conference records for 3-point field goals made (21) and attempted in a game (66) and set the school record for 3-point makes (216) and attempts (742) in a season.

Prior to HSU, Carse coached Montana State University in Billings (MSUB) to four NCAA Division II tournament berths and four conference championships in the Pacific West and Heartland leagues. His teams led the nation in 3-pointers made per game in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2006. They were also the nation's top scoring team in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2002 with second place rankings in 1999, 2003 and 2006. His teams were at the top of NCAA basketball in victories (142) at home from 1995-2006.

At MSUB he had three players earn All-America honors while 19 players were selected all-conference. All-American Titus Warmsley was in the Boston Celtics camp in 1999 with several of Carse's players getting the opportunity to play professionally all over the world.

Carse's MSUB teams also excelled in the classroom with 19 academic all-conference academic selections and three academic All-Americans. Thirteen players had a semester of a 4.0 GPA while three players had a perfect 4.0 GPA during seasons that they were all conference both athletically and academically.

Before going to MSUB, Carse served as executive-vice-president of the United States Basketball Academy in 1994-1995. Carse worked during the development of the academy's campus and programs.

Prior to that, he was as assistant coach from 1987-1994 at Louisiana State University under legendary head coach Dale Brown. During his tenure he was the lead recruiter of future NBA selections Chris Jackson, Stanley Roberts, Geert Hammink, Shaquille O'Neal and Ronnie Henderson. Carse's success signing McDonald's All Americans made him known as one of the nation's elite recruiters. His recruiting led the Tigers to a No. 1 national ranking.

Prior to LSU, Carse was the head coach from 1983-1987 at West Virginia State where he went 79-43, including a 57-8 mark in his final two seasons. His team played in the NAIA's 50^th National Championship game in 1987. While at West Virginia State, he was named West Virginia's College coach of the Year in '87 and had four players in NBA camps. Ron Moore the 25th pick of the New York Knicks played for the Detroit Pistons in their NBA title season and also the Phoenix Suns.

Before becoming the head coach at West Virginia State Carse worked for West Virginia's Salem College from 1978-1983. Carse was Salem's primary assistant and lead recruiter. The Tigers climbed to the top of the WVIAC with 26 wins in 1983 while participating in the NAIA national championships beating West Virginia legend and current WVU head coach Bob Huggins' undefeated Walsh (Ohio) squad. Carse's tenure at Salem saw several players earn all conference accolades while garnering professional basketball opportunities abroad.

Carse's first position as an assistant coach in 1977 was under current Westminister  (Pa.) athletic director, Jim Dafler. Carse was Dafler's primary assistant at NCAA III Bethany College in West Virginia.

In 1978, Bethany College captured the Presidents Athletic Conference Championship and advanced in the NCAA tournament.

Carse is a noted speaker and clinician. He has lectured and taught the game of basketball nationally and internationally. His stops include trips to Europe, Australia and the Philippines. He has represented the United States and instructed at the Super Cup in Berlin, Germany, he has coached and worked with Chinese national teams.

Carse is a native of Sistersville, West Virginia where he helped guide the 1973-1974 basketball team to most wins in the school's history as a all state and all conference selection. Carse lettered in Basketball and track at NCAA Division III Bethany College where he graduated magna cum laude.

Carse has been married to Sistersville native Leslie Buck since 1977. They have two children, David and Lindsey and a grandson.

Carse has undergraduate degrees from Bethany and a master's degree from the West Virginia University.

Carse, an outdoor enthusiast loves to hike, hunt and fish. He also enjoys bicycling as he rode his bike from Montana to West Virginia to bring awareness for strokes and heart implants which he has experienced both.