News File Photo Alpena Community College men’s basketball coach Mark Jacobs talks with Isaac Hogsett during a timeout in this 2019 News photo.

ALPENA — The Alpena Community College men’s basketball team will have a new leader on the sidelines next season.

ACC announced Tuesday that Mark Jacobs has resigned as men’s basketball coach after four seasons.

Jacobs’ decision comes after taking on a new role for his job, which requires a greater degree of travel and won’t allow him to devote as much time to basketball as he would like. Jacobs said he hopes to continue coaching ACC’s cross country team, since the season has a more manageable schedule.

“I’m definitely going to miss it, but with my new position, I can’t be in two places at once and it’s not fair to do it 50-50,” Jacobs said. “I’ve had a blast and I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

When he was announced as Alpena Community College’s new men’s basketball coach in 2016, Jacobs talked about how he wanted to make his mark on the program.

In four seasons, Jacobs did just that, establishing a program of hard-working, selfless players who weren’t afraid to compete. He also established himself as a dogged recruiter in search of talented, high character players. During his tenure, Jacobs regularly brought in some of the most talented players in Northeast Michigan as well as recruits from Florida, Indiana and even Australia.

Those efforts paid off on the court, where the Lumberjacks became known in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association’s Eastern Conference as a tough opponent.

Though the hard work didn’t always result in victories, Jacobs’ players worked hard and showed they could play with the best teams in their conference. In the 2021 season alone, the Lumberjacks lost by three points in games against sixth-ranked Mott and Schoolcraft and beat a Macomb team that beat them by double digits twice the previous season.

“We were competitive and my guys were not afraid to compete,” Jacobs said. “I know there were teams that were nervous to play us.”

Jacobs said he learned a lot about the game of basketball during his time as ACC coach, but pointed to the relationships he made as more important than any win or loss. He still keeps in regular contact with former players and praised assistants Andy Marwede and Bobby Allen for their help.

“I learned it’s a lot easier to coach from the stands,” Jacobs said with a laugh. “But I learned a lot about myself, about coaching young men and about the game of basketball. I appreciate what my guys have done.”

Jacobs’ efforts to build a team-first program were praised by ACC President Don MacMaster.

“Coach Jacobs did a great job during his time coaching men’s basketball at ACC. He recruited good character, represented himself and the college well, brought a competitive zeal that was positive and infectious, and above all kept the focus where it should be, on the student achievement part of community college athletics. He put his whole heart and soul into it, and that passion will be tough to replace.”