Baker arrived in Baltimore as an assistant coach for the 2021-22 season after spending four seasons as the video coordinator at Akron.
Baker helped UMBC deliver back-to-back 18-win seasons in his first two years. The Retrievers stormed into the 2021-22 America East Championship game after a stellar regular-season run, and even pulled off a headline-making victory against Power 5 foe Pittsburgh (ACC) in non-conference play. In 2022-23, UMBC hosted a first-round conference tournament game and shattered previous records with 10 non-conference wins. The excitement peaked in 2025-26 as the Retrievers clinched their third America East regular-season title, dominating league play with a 14-2 record. The team sealed their unforgettable season by toppling Vermont in a packed, electric Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena to claim an NCAA Tournament berth.
Priot to UMBC, Baker joined the Zips’ staff as the video coordinator in September 2017, arriving from Penn State. He spent two seasons, 2015-2017, with the Nittany Lions as a graduate manager. He assisted in player development and practice duties, as well as editing film for coach analysis and assisting the directors of player development and operations with their daily tasks.
Prior to Penn State, he spent three years with high school and AAU programs around the D.C. area, including U15 Nike Team Takeover. He was also the acting dean of students and educational aide at Lasalle Backus Educational Campus.
Baker started his career as an undergraduate and graduate assistant coach at his alma mater Quinnipiac, after a career-ending knee injury that prevented him from playing in his sophomore season. He was named to the Northeast Conference All-Rookie Team, averaging 10.9 points per game, Baker was NEC Rookie of the Week twice.
He was a four-year letter winner from Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., where he was named Gatorade Player of the Year (2006). Baker ranks 9th all-time in Washington, DC in single-game scoring (51 points).
Baker earned three degrees, a bachelor’s in media studies and a master’s in Journalism from Quinnipiac, and a second master’s in Educational Leadership from Penn State.
In addition, Baker is the director of communications for Education Goals Opportunities and Sports (E.G.O.S) non-profit organization.
