Monmouth University Names King Rice as New Head Basketball Coach

Monmouth University will officially name King Rice as its men's basketball coach at a noon press conference on Wednesday.

Rice's hiring is expected to be was announced at a press conference in the Multipurpose Activity Center (MAC), according to university sources.

Rice, 42,  spent the last five years as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University under head coach Kevin Stallings. Vanderbilt qualified for the NCAA Tournament in four of those five years.

Rice also coached at Oregon, Illinois State and Providence College before becoming an assistant coach at Vanderbilt.

He replaces Dave Calloway, who announced his resignation in February after serving as the team's head coach for 14 seasons, and five years as an assistant coach prior to becoming the head coach.

Calloway led the Hawks to three bids in the NCAA Tournament, and a win in the 2006 tournament, but his teams have struggled over the last five years and he was under pressure from the university to turn the program around.

At the time of his resignation, the university said it would begin "a search for a new coach."  The search  brought in over 75 applications.

Calloway's contract expires in June, but he turned down an opportunity to remain at the university.   He was offered a new role with Monmouth University advancement duties.

The Hawks ended the 2010-11 regular season with a 9-21 overall record, 5-13 in the Northeast Conference.

Rice will be the basketball program's fifth head coach, and the announcement of his hiring will be made by Monmouth University Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Marilyn McNeil and President Paul Gaffney in the Hall of Fame Lounge on the second floor of the MAC. 

According to university officials, the college reached an agreement with Rice on Tuesday.  He begins as the new men's basketball coach immediately, according to those same sources.

The Binghamton, N.Y., native was a point guard at the University of North Carolina, losing to the Univerisity of Kansas in the national semifinals in 1991.