Baker, Grant

Grant Baker

The 2024-25 season will be Grant Baker’s first season with the Millikin men’s program.  Baker brings five (5) years of prior college experience and four (4) years of high school coaching experience to the Millikin staff.

From 2015-2018, Baker served as a student manager with the men’s basketball program at Ball State University under Head Coach James Whitford.  While at Ball State, Baker specialized in the Cardinals’ player development program where he led workouts for six (6) future professional players and four (4) All-MAC players.  Baker was also a key member for film responsibilities and team travel operations.  While at Ball State, the Cardinals averaged 20 wins per season, claimed back-to-back MAC West titles, and experienced the 5th largest win/loss differential turnaround in Division I during the 2015-16 season. 

After graduating from Ball State in 2018, Baker joined the staff at The High School of Saint Thomas More in Champaign, Illinois.  In his first season with the Sabers, Baker was a member of a coaching staff that helped set numerous program scoring records and established a winning foundation for future seasons.

From 2019-2021, Baker served as a Graduate Assistant and Video Coordinator with the men’s program at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois.  While with the Leathernecks, Baker oversaw all video responsibilities, scouting reports, and executed team travel logistics.

After Baker’s stint in Macomb, he returned to the high school level and to The High School Saint Thomas More where he coached from 2021-2024.  During this stretch, STM advanced to three (3) consecutive regional championships, claiming one (1) regional title in the 2023-24 season.  The Sabers also achieved the 20-win mark in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history (2022-2024).  Baker was responsible for overseeing and executing all scouting reports.  Additionally, Baker was tasked with creating and executing the Sabers’ player development program which saw these athletes break numerous program 3pt records, assist records, and held opponent FG% marks to some of the best in school history.  The Sabers finished in the News Gazette Area Top 10 rankings for all three (3) seasons.

Baker is a graduate of Ball State University (2018) and received his master’s degree from Western Illinois University (2021).  Originally from Davenport, Iowa, Baker currently resides in Cisco, Illinois and has been an employee at Millikin University in the Admission Office since September 2021.  He is the son of Beverley and Daniel Baker (Millikin MBA ’23) and has a younger brother, Cameron (Millikin ’24).