The Fort Wayne Mad Ants have named Duane Ticknor as their head coach for the 2012-13 season. Ticknor has signed a two-year contract with the team.

“We are very excited to have Coach Ticknor join the Mad Ants,” said team President Jeff Potter. “Duane is well-respected by his peers in the basketball community, and his knowledge and skill in coaching is exceptional. Most notably, he has a history of winning everywhere he’s been. We are looking forward to having him get started this summer in building the winning team that our loyal fans and this great city deserve.”

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the best organization in the D-League,” Coach Ticknor said. “Fort Wayne is one of the best markets in our league, and I am excited to get to work and turn the Mad Ants into the winning team that I know they can be.”

Ticknor has 17 years of head coaching experience at the collegiate and professional levels, including the NBA D-League. He served as head coach for the Dakota Wizards and led them to the playoffs in each of his two seasons there, with his 2007-08 team finishing 29-21 and winning the Central Division title. He then moved on to the Sioux Falls Skyforce from 2009-11, where he spent two seasons as assistant coach.