UConn has named Dan Hurley as the new head men's basketball coach to replace Kevin Ollie and they have agreed to a six-year deal that will pay $2.75 million in the first season.
Hurley spoke during a news conference Friday afternoon and said coming to UConn is a dream come true, the sky's the limit for the players and his new team will begin by building a championship culture.
Hurley, 45, had been the head coach of the University of Rhode Island’s men’s basketball team since March 2012 and helped the URI Rams win their second Atlantic 10 championship in the school’s history. He also led the team into the NCAA tournament this year.
“I am honored and excited to become the head coach of the UConn men’s basketball program and I would like to thank President (Susan) Herbst and David Benedict for this tremendous opportunity,” Hurley said in a statement. “This program, which is part of one of the top public universities in the country, has a championship history and wonderful support from a passionate fan base. I look forward to continuing this proud tradition.”
UConn announced earlier this month that it was terminating Ollie from the head coaching position for the men’s basketball team amid an ongoing NCAA investigation.
Hurley was 113-82 in six seasons with URI, a team that went 26-8 this year before losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament to Duke.
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In an article posted in May 2017, the Providence Journal reported that Hurley's annual compensation at URI was nearly $1.1 million.
The five-year contract Ollie signed with UConn in 2014 called for $3.1 million for the fiscal year from June 1, 2017 to May 31, 2018 coming from a $400,000 annual base salary plus annual payments for institutional speaking and media appearances.
UConn won its fourth national championship in 2014, but went 14-18 this year, which was the team's second straight losing season.
Retired legendary UConn men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun said Hurley is a good man, a good coach and a “good get” for UConn.
Calhoun said he has known the new coach since Hurley was in high school.
“I’ve known Danny Hurley for quite some time as a player, first as a young coach at St. Benedict’s (Prep in Newark, N.J), and at Wagner (College in Staten Island, N.Y.) and then URI. He’s a good man and a really good coach and he’s a good get for UConn," Calhoun said.
Hurley, a native of Jersey City, N.J., is a member of a well-known basketball family.
His father, Bob, became the second high school coach inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, according to URI’s website.
Hurley’s older brother, Bobby, was an All-American guard at Duke and a 1993 pick by the Sacramento Kings. He is now the head coach of Arizona State’s men’s basketball team.
Dan Hurley is 1996 graduate of Seton Hall and recalls playing against UConn in his college days, including against Ray Allen, who kept checking on Hurley to make sure he was OK after he was knocked down during a game.
Dan Hurley and his wife Andrea have two sons; Danny and Andrew.
