UConn hires Dan Hurley as new head coach
The UConn Huskies have their man, as former Rhode Island head coach Dan Hurley has signed a six-year deal to take over in Connecticut, the school announced Thursday.
UConn fired Kevin Ollie earlier in March after it finished under .500 and failed to reach the Big Dance for a second straight season. OIlie was with the program for six years.
Hurley, meanwhile, was coveted by several programs, including Pitt and Rhode Island. The latter made a substantial offer that included salary increases for him and his staff as well as the completion of a basketball-only facility, sources told ESPN's Jeff Goodman.
Rhode Island went 8-21 in Hurley's first season at the helm, but he steadily built the team into a powerhouse in the Atlantic 10 conference. This year, the Rams made the NCAA tournament for a second straight season, bowing out in the Round of 32 against a tough Duke squad.
Making the move along with Hurley will be his assistant coach Tom Moore, a source told Adam Zagoria of The New York Times. Moore is a former assistant at UConn. Hurley reportedly met with his Rhode Island players Thursday morning in an attempt to break the news of his departure before it got out to the media, according to Zagoria.
Over his six seasons with the Rams, Hurley amassed an overall record of 113-82.