Coaches

Head Coach:  Dan Paxson

Coach Paxson has coached basketball for the past twenty-two years, nineteen years as a head coach.  His coaching resume includes stops at Northside College Prep, Senn High School, North Park University, Niles North High School and countless camps and clinics throughout Chicago, the midwest, and Maryland while coaching at the the highly regarded Wootten Basketball Camps.  Coach Paxson has also coached in local travel programs including All In Athletics and Over the Edge.  He is honored and excited to coach and represent Maine West High School with its proud and rich athletic tradition!  Coach Paxson graduated from Arizona State University with a BA degree in Speech and earned his MA degree in English Composition from Northeastern IL University.  He teaches English at Niles North High School and lives in Chicago with his wife, sons, and golden retriever running partner!  Go Warriors!

Assistant Coach (Varsity): Brent Abas

Coach Abas is entering his 10th season coaching high school basketball. He spent his previous seasons at Niles North High School as a Varsity Assistant/Freshman Head Coach. In addition, he also coaches for local programs including Fundamental University. During the day, he is in the building at Maine West and works in the Special Education department. Coach Abas currently lives in Skokie with his wife and daughter.

Assistant Coach (Sophomore): Stefanos Apostolopoulos

Coach Apostolopoulos is entering his 13th year coaching. He has a wide variety of coaching experiences from high school to junior high and has coached multiple sports during his career. He holds a masters degree in Exercise Science and believes in keeping athletes’ bodies strong, flexible, and prepared so they can take on challenges on and off the court. His hope is to continue to build strong relationships with all of his athletes and their families and make a difference in the communities he works in. Coach A currently works in Wilmette as an Adapted PE teacher where he also met his wife. Coach Apostolopoulos currently lives in Vernon Hills with his wife and daughter. He is thrilled to join the Maine West Basketball program, Go Warriors! 

Assistant Coach (Freshman A):  Mike Pajor

Coach Pajor began coaching basketball at Maine West in 2019. He also has playing experience at the Division 1 level and has coached multiple basketball camps at the high school and collegiate levels. Coach Pajor is looking forward to building young athletes’ skills on and off the court this season. During the school day, he works primarily with students with special needs at Maine West. Coach Pajor grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and currently lives with his girlfriend and son in Prospect Heights.

Assistant Coach (Freshman B): John Hauenstein

Coach Hauenstein will be entering his 23rd year of teaching at Maine West and 32nd year altogether.  He rejoins the Maine West Boys Basketball staff after a 20 year hiatus to raise (and coach feeder basketball teams for) his three children.  Mr. Hauenstein has taught a combination of Boys and Girls basketball at Port Huron High School (MI), Willowbrook High School (Villa Park), as well as Maine West from 2000-2002.  In addition to basketball, Coach Hauenstein serves the athletic department as the head coach of the Girls golf program at Maine West for the past 17 years and is also the head coach of the Boys tennis program (4 years).  He is a 1990 graduate of Indiana University and lives in Wheaton with his wife, son, and two daughters.