Michael Wilder: The Embodiment Of An Anteater And Winner

From 2009 to 2013, Mike Wilder ignited the UC Irvine basketball crowd with stellar plays and performances. He was one of the major pioneers in shifting UCI basketball into what it is today. 

Now, Wilder is entering his 10th year on the coaching staff. Through his path as a player and coach, he has made connections and memories that will stay with him forever. 

Before becoming a star for UCI, Wilder had to first learn the basics of the game. The Long Beach native admits that his developmental journey was a long road. 

But Wilder would begin to take the game seriously not long after. He credits his father as a key figure early on in his development. As a kid, Wilder would play against older competitors around the city with his dad. 

“I was fortunate to play alongside him. We played at the parks together and I played in adult leagues. I credit the toughness I developed as a young player to that.”

The hard work proved to pay off. In high school, Wilder was a four-year starter at Long Beach Wilson. He earned All-CIF honors and at the end of his senior year in 2009, he walked on at UCI. 

His freshman year, coached by Pat Douglass, was a rocky one. The team went 14-18. Wilder appeared in 26 games with four mid-season starts. 

After Wilder's freshman season, a coaching shift was made. Russell Turner was hired as the new head coach. Turner was a young coach, but immediately Wilder felt a connection with Turner through their similar basketball minds. 

“We were a great match as a player and as a coach,” Wilder said regarding his immediate click with Turner.

In the first two years under Coach Turner the foundations for success were being set. Wilder also began to solidify himself as an important piece in the team's rotation. 

As a sophomore, he played in 31 games with 19 starts and averaged 9.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. 

The next year, as a junior, Wilder started all 32 games and led UCI in scoring at 11.5 points per game. He was also selected to the All-Big West Second Team. 

At the same time off the court, Wilder and his teammates began to get involved in the student community. They found that making connections with other Anteaters assisted their success.

“We tried to get out on campus to show that we were also students trying to get degrees and basketball was our extracurricular activity,” said Wilder about his teammates approach to increasing student attendance. 

Their tactics worked. In 2012-13, the Anteaters had a solid 21-16 record overall. In Big West play, they went undefeated at home. Wilder finished up his career fourth in program history in three-pointers made, 17th in rebounds, and was one of 32 1,00-point scorers. 

This earned him the opportunity to play professionally in Spain for a season. However, after one year overseas, he received an offer from Coach Turner to return to Irvine. This time, on staff. 

Wilder was brought on as Director of Administration but a year later he would shift into his current assistant coaching role. With Wilder on as an assistant, the Anteaters have won two conference tournaments, five regular season championships, and advanced to the NCAA March Madness Second Round. 

The most fun part for Wilder is seeing the development in his players. “I really enjoy the process of seeing guys get better on and off the court,” Wilder commented. 

As an alumni and current staff member, he embraces the love and support from UC Irvine as a whole. Wilder embodies all there is to being an Anteater and a winner.