Current:Home > FinanceJames Madison moves quickly, hires Preston Spradlin as new men's basketball coach-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
James Madison moves quickly, hires Preston Spradlin as new men's basketball coach
View Date:2024-12-23 19:29:35
Less than a week after head men's basketball coach Mark Byington left to take over at Vanderbilt, James Madison University has found his successor.
JMU announced on Friday the hiring of Morehead State's Preston Spradlin, giving the two-time Ohio Valley Conference coach of the year a six-year deal to come to Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Under Byington, the Dukes tied for the most regular-season wins in Division I men's basketball this season, posting a 31-3 record and then upsetting fifth-seeded Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After Duke eliminated 12th-seeded JMU in the tourney's second round, Byington took the job at Vanderbilt.
Spradlin led Morehead State to back-to-back OVC regular-season titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24. The Eagles went 26-9 this season and were a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament, losing to No. 3 seed Illinois in the first round.
"Preston stood out at the top of our list as we researched candidates based upon the resume that he's built at a very young age as a head coach," JMU Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne said. "Once we met with him, it was even more evident that he's the total package in a head coach."
FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.
Spradlin, 37, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant to Rick Pitino at Kentucky before moving to Morehead State in 2014 as an assistant. He took over, first as interim coach in 2016 and later as permanent head coach, leading the Eagles to an overall record of 140-109 (.562) with two NCAA Tournament and one NIT appearance over eight seasons.
veryGood! (637)
Related
- Olivia Munn Says She “Barely Knew” John Mulaney When She Got Pregnant With Their Son
- Cruise ship that touts its navigation capabilities runs aground in Greenland with more than 200 onboard
- China economic data show signs slowdown may be easing, as central bank acts to support growth
- TikToker Elyse Myers Gives Birth, Welcomes Baby No. 2
- Texas mother sentenced to 50 years for leaving kids in dire conditions as son’s body decomposed
- Escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante told officials he planned to carjack someone and flee US
- Escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante captured: What he told investigators about his plans
- Karamo Addresses the Shade After Not Being Invited to Antoni Porowski's Bachelor Party
- Digital Finance Research Institute Introduce
- Nobel Foundation raises the amount for this year’s Nobel Prize awards to 11 million kronor
Ranking
- Certifying this year’s presidential results begins quietly, in contrast to the 2020 election
- Explosion at Union Pacific railyard in Nebraska prompts evacuations because of heavy toxic smoke
- FAA restores Mexico aviation to highest safety rating
- Selena Gomez Is Proudly Putting a Spotlight on Her Mexican Heritage—On and Off Screen
- Video shows Starlink satellite that resembled fireball breaking up over the Southwest: Watch
- Hunter Biden's lawyer says gun statute unconstitutional, case will be dismissed
- AP Week in Pictures: North America
- College professor who questioned views toward adult-child sex wants back on campus
Recommendation
-
Solawave Black Friday Sale: Don't Miss Buy 1, Get 1 Free on Age-Defying Red Light Devices
-
Aaron Rodgers' injury among 55 reasons cursed Jets' Super Bowl drought will reach 55 years
-
She danced with Putin at her wedding. Now the former Austrian foreign minister has moved to Russia
-
NFL Week 2 picks: With Aaron Rodgers gone, can Jets get past Cowboys for 2-0 start?
-
Japan to resume V-22 flights after inquiry finds pilot error caused accident
-
Britain, France and Germany say they will keep their nuclear and missiles sanctions on Iran
-
Appeals court pauses removal of incarcerated youths from Louisiana’s maximum-security adult prison
-
Ukrainian forces reclaim a village in the east as part of counteroffensive