Men's Basketball
Starke, Mike
Mike Starke
- Title:
- Director of Sports Performance - Men's Basketball
- Phone:
- 336-758-3252
Mike Starke joined the Wake Forest basketball staff in May 2020 after serving in a similar role at East Tennessee State. Starke oversees all the strength and conditioning efforts related to the men’s basketball program including strength and physical development, conditioning, nutrition and recovery needs.
Starke’s efforts in the weight room and beyond helped build the program back to a top 50 program in college basketball, finishing at 42 in the NET rankings for the 2021-2022 season. In his second season at Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons finished with 25 wins, the most since the 2004-05 season, and 18 home wins, the most in program history.
Starke prepared multiple individual players to have personal-best seasons in multiple areas. This past 2023-24 season saw him coach All-ACC first teamer Hunter Sallis, who had a breakout year, and first with the Deacs, to up his numbers to a team-best 18.0 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent fro the field, 40.5 percent from three-point territory and 78.3 percent from the free-throw line. Sallis additionally went on to earn Associated Press ACC Newcomer of the Year honors, reaching double-figures in scoring in all but one of his 34 games.
2022-23 marked the arrival of Tyree Appleby, as Starke coached the Jacksonville, Arkansas, native who ultimately became the first-ever player to lead the ACC in both points (18.8/game) and assists (6.4/game) for a single season. An electrifying lead guard who registered over 2,000 points for his career, Appleby collected several accolades during his lone season with the Deacs, including 2023 Associated Press ACC Player of the Year, USBWA District III Player of the Year, First Team All-ACC and NABC All-District Team for District II.
During the 2021-22 season, Starke coached ACC Player of the Year Alondes Williams to gain strength in all areas during the season, doubling his court productivity from the previous year with 18.5 points, 5.2 assists and 6.4 rebounds per game. For much of the season, Williams led the league in scoring and assists. He also coached Second Team All-ACC selection Jake LaRavia, who reached the 1,000 point and 500 rebound marks in his junior year. Under Starke’s guidance, graduate transfer Dallas Walton set career highs in almost every statistical category during his one season with the Demon Deacons.
The Deacs also ranked second in the ACC in total dunks with 119 for the 2021-22 season. Wake Forest finished the year with the fourth-largest year to year improvement in the NCAA.
In four seasons at East Tennessee State, the program had one of the winningest stretches in college basketball (106 wins in 4 seasons). The Buccaneers won 2 Regular Season Championships, 2 Conference Tournament Championships, earned 2 trips to the NCAA Tournament, broke the school record for most wins in a season with 30 wins, and helped 13 student-athletes reach All-Conference honors, including a Conference Player of the Year, and 2 Conference Tournament MVP’s.
Prior to East Tennessee State, Starke had stints in the private sector at D1 Sports Training, and at the University of Miami, OH.
In 2015, Starke received his master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. At the University of Tennessee, Starke served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and worked as a Strength and Conditioning Intern for the Men’s Basketball team. During the 2013-2014 season, the Volunteers made it to the Sweet 16, and Starke worked with 2 players that were selected in the NBA Draft.
Starke got his undergraduate degree from Concordia College (MN) in Exercise Science in 2013. There he was a 4-year letter winner and 3-year starter at Wide Receiver on the football team.
Starke resides in Winston-Salem with his wife Teresa, and their four children: Kinsley, Beckham, Oakland, and Maverick.
Starke’s efforts in the weight room and beyond helped build the program back to a top 50 program in college basketball, finishing at 42 in the NET rankings for the 2021-2022 season. In his second season at Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons finished with 25 wins, the most since the 2004-05 season, and 18 home wins, the most in program history.
Starke prepared multiple individual players to have personal-best seasons in multiple areas. This past 2023-24 season saw him coach All-ACC first teamer Hunter Sallis, who had a breakout year, and first with the Deacs, to up his numbers to a team-best 18.0 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent fro the field, 40.5 percent from three-point territory and 78.3 percent from the free-throw line. Sallis additionally went on to earn Associated Press ACC Newcomer of the Year honors, reaching double-figures in scoring in all but one of his 34 games.
2022-23 marked the arrival of Tyree Appleby, as Starke coached the Jacksonville, Arkansas, native who ultimately became the first-ever player to lead the ACC in both points (18.8/game) and assists (6.4/game) for a single season. An electrifying lead guard who registered over 2,000 points for his career, Appleby collected several accolades during his lone season with the Deacs, including 2023 Associated Press ACC Player of the Year, USBWA District III Player of the Year, First Team All-ACC and NABC All-District Team for District II.
During the 2021-22 season, Starke coached ACC Player of the Year Alondes Williams to gain strength in all areas during the season, doubling his court productivity from the previous year with 18.5 points, 5.2 assists and 6.4 rebounds per game. For much of the season, Williams led the league in scoring and assists. He also coached Second Team All-ACC selection Jake LaRavia, who reached the 1,000 point and 500 rebound marks in his junior year. Under Starke’s guidance, graduate transfer Dallas Walton set career highs in almost every statistical category during his one season with the Demon Deacons.
The Deacs also ranked second in the ACC in total dunks with 119 for the 2021-22 season. Wake Forest finished the year with the fourth-largest year to year improvement in the NCAA.
In four seasons at East Tennessee State, the program had one of the winningest stretches in college basketball (106 wins in 4 seasons). The Buccaneers won 2 Regular Season Championships, 2 Conference Tournament Championships, earned 2 trips to the NCAA Tournament, broke the school record for most wins in a season with 30 wins, and helped 13 student-athletes reach All-Conference honors, including a Conference Player of the Year, and 2 Conference Tournament MVP’s.
Prior to East Tennessee State, Starke had stints in the private sector at D1 Sports Training, and at the University of Miami, OH.
In 2015, Starke received his master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. At the University of Tennessee, Starke served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and worked as a Strength and Conditioning Intern for the Men’s Basketball team. During the 2013-2014 season, the Volunteers made it to the Sweet 16, and Starke worked with 2 players that were selected in the NBA Draft.
Starke got his undergraduate degree from Concordia College (MN) in Exercise Science in 2013. There he was a 4-year letter winner and 3-year starter at Wide Receiver on the football team.
Starke resides in Winston-Salem with his wife Teresa, and their four children: Kinsley, Beckham, Oakland, and Maverick.
Wake Forest Football Highlights vs WCU (Sept 6, 2025)
Sunday, September 07
Wake Forest Football 2025 Week Two Trailer
Friday, September 05
Football Media Availability (9/3/25)
Wednesday, September 03
Football Media Availability (9/2/25)
Tuesday, September 02
