YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Mike Babul is going places.

And fast.

In a meteoric rise in the coaching ranks, Babul -- a former North Attleboro High standout and three-year starter at UMass who was an administrative assistant under John Calipari at the University of Memphis last year in just his second season of coaching -- was tabbed as an assistant coach at Youngstown State.

`` Yeah,'' acknowledged Babul, `` it's a nice hop up the ladder.''

Babul will work at the Division I mid-major school under head coach John Robic, who was an assistant under Bruiser Flint for three years while he was at UMass. He'll also be working alongside fellow assistant Winston Smith, a former Minuteman teammate and his best friend from UMass.

And to think that a mere 10 months ago, Babul was just finishing up his first year of coaching the junior varsity team at Seekonk High, where he directed the Warriors to a 15-5 mark and assisted a varsity team that secured its first state tournament berth in over 10 years.

`` I knew taking that job down in Memphis was huge, how many connections (Calipari) has in the game and how it would probably help me get a job,'' Babul said. `` But in 10 months? I didn't expect that.

`` Now, I have to prove myself at this position.''

Foot in the door

As an administrative assistant, Babul was just getting his foot in the door. Despite being at an ever-successful Memphis program -- which went 22-8 (12-4 in Conference USA) last year -- he wasn't on the bench nor was he recruiting. Instead, he was helping out with the basketball operations, handling various duties on and off the court and learning the business.

But now, the more experienced Babul will actually be on the floor coaching and he'll be heavily involved in recruitment.

He'll certainly value the experience of working under Calipari, who is considered one of the best coaches in the game.

`` It was unbelievable working for a proven coach like Calipari,'' Babul said. `` I met a lot of good people in the basketball business at Memphis.''

Babul admires how hard Calipari works. `` I guess it's just his ability to bring intensity every day, whether it's on a game night or it's during practice time or watching film,'' Babul said of Calipari, who took a UMass basketball program from the basement of the Atlantic 10 and transformed it into one of the nation's elite teams in a eight-year span, including a Final Four appearance in 1996.

`` Some days, you go into work and you maybe don't want to be there, but not Coach Cal. He never misses a day, he stays on his players -- he cares so much and works hard at what he does.''

Added Babul, `` And, also, the way he relates to people is amazing. He is such a great influence.''

Youngstown State, in its sixth season under Robic, went 8-20, 4-13 in the mid-major Horizon League that also consists of such teams as Butler, Detroit, and Illinois-Chicago, among others.

`` We've got our work cut out for us,'' Babul said of helping coach the Penguins. `` We're coming off a losing season, and we play in a tough league, so it'll be competitive every season.''

Itch to coach

Babul, along with twin brother Jon, starred at North Attleboro High, where he still owns the boys' school record for most career points (1,423 points).

Recruited by anyone and everyone on the Division I level, Babul turned down Dean Smith and North Carolina to head to UMass and play under Calipari.

However, months before Babul enrolled at UMass, Calipari left his post and took an NBA head coaching job with the New Jersey Nets.

Under James `` Bruiser'' Flint, Babul played in 120 games at UMass and started 100 of them. A team captain during his senior season, Babul earned Atlantic 10 All-Defensive team honors, not to mention A-10 All-Academic accolades his final three years.

During his time at UMass, the Minutemen made the NCAA Tournament twice and played in the NIT tourney another.

While Babul had an itch to return to college basketball in a coaching capacity ever since he had graduated from UMass in 1996, he took a job at an investment firm called The Richmond Group in Boston right out of college, and worked there for a year and a half.

Still playing competitively in various local leagues, Babul was hoping to play ball in Europe, but `` the money wasn't right,'' he said.

Babul then spent about nine months working as a manager at Bally's Total Health and Fitness in East Providence.

He attempted to secure coaching positions at the high school level and at the Division 2 and 3 collegiate levels to begin developing a sideline resume.

It was not until 2002 when he served as an assistant coach under former North Attleboro High assistant coach Rick Patch, now the head coach with the Seekonk High boys' program, that Babul received an opportunity to coach.

And now look at him.

No complaints

Babul has indeed come a long way in such a short time.

Not even a year and a half ago, he was teaching the game of basketball to kids in Seekonk. Now, he'll find himself still teaching the game, but to players who have far more superior abilities.

`` I just like being around the game,'' said Babul, who'll be returning to the area to run the Babul Brothers Basketball Camp -- along with Jon, who recently took over as the director of basketball operations at James Madison University -- in a little over a week, which takes place July 19-23 at North Attleboro High School and North Attleboro Middle School.

Babul realized how much of a gem the administrative assistant position was the minute he got it, so he knew he was in a good spot to further his collegiate coaching career.

And now look at him.

`` I was praying I'd go down there for one year -- I was thinking, though, that'd be at least two years,'' Babul said. `` But it all worked out even better.''

Babul then added with a laugh, `` I'm certainly not complaining.''

ANDREW BRYCE may be reached at 508-236-0395 or via email at abryce@thesunchronicle.clom