Marcus Belcher is leaving Eastern.

Belcher, an assistant to men’s basketball head coach Mike Miller this past season, is set to join Marty Simmons’ coaching staff at the University of Evansville this week, Eastern Sports Information Director Rich Moser announced yesterday.

Belcher was hired at Eastern last July after spending two seasons as an assistant at Southern Illinois at Edwardsville for two seasons under Simmons.

Simmons, an Evansville graduate and former player, was hired as Evansville’s head coach Friday after five seasons at SIUE, where he compiled an 88-59 record. He will be replacing Steve Merfeld, who resigned March 3.

At Eastern, Belcher filled the void created last May when Kwanza Johnson left to become an assistant at Nevada.

A search for Belcher’s replacement will begin in mid-April when the recruiting period is over, Moser said.

Miller is out of town recruiting this week, Moser said, and will not comment on the hire because Belcher is now an employee of Evansville.

Belcher played two seasons at Southern Illinois at Carbondale, and was the starting point guard on the Salukis’ team that advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2002.

Evansville Sports Information Director Bob Boxsell also said another of Simmons’ assistants at SIUE will join him at Evansville.

Ben Wierzba, an assistant in his first year at SIUE under Simmons this past year, will join him in Evansville, Boxsell said.

Boxsell said the hires will be made official later this week.