After a nearly three week search for a new head men’s basketball coach that encompassed a variety of names from across the country, Boston University athletic director Mike Lynch ultimately had to look no further than a few miles west down Commonwealth Ave. to find his man.
The university announced Thursday morning that it has hired Boston College associate head coach Joe Jones to replace former coach Patrick Chambers, who left the program June 3 to become the head coach at Penn State University. The move had been reported by several national media outlets as early as Wednesday evening.
Jones spent last season as the top assistant in Chestnut Hill to Eagles head coach Steve Donahue. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Columbia University, where he compiled a 86-108 record in his seven seasons with the program.
“After an extensive search, we are thrilled to have Joe Jones take over the reins of a BU basketball program that is on the rise,” said Lynch in a statement. “Joe comes with impressive credentials and past head coaching experience that will help take the program to the next level.”
Like Chambers, Jones is a former Villanova University assistant coach, having spent six seasons with the Wildcats, the final two of which he worked under Jay Wright. Jones has previously assisted Wright during a three-year stint at Hofstra University from 1994-1997.
Jones looks forward to the challenge that awaits him at BU and hopes to build on Chambers’ work.
“I am truly honored to be named the next basketball coach at Boston University,” Jones said in a statement. “We are going to play an exciting, up-tempo brand of basketball. I am looking forward to meeting the entire BU family and building on the rich BU basketball tradition.”
Jones will be inheriting a Terriers team that returns all but one player from a squad that captured an America East Conference title and NCAA Tournament berth in the 2010-11 season, a team that includes seven freshmen and four transfers all brought in by Chambers.
An introductory press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at Agganis Arena.
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