Eastern Kentucky hires Dan McHale as Colonels coach

RICHMOND, Ky. -- Eastern Kentucky has hired former Minnesota and Louisville assistant Dan McHale as the Colonels' 20th head coach.

McHale will be introduced Thursday at a news conference. He replaces Jeff Neubauer, who left after 10 seasons to become head coach at Fordham; the Colonels finished 21-12 last season.

McHale spent the past two seasons on Richard Pitino's staff at Minnesota, which won the NIT last season. The former Kentucky student manager also served two stints under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino at Louisville and has worked at Manhattan, Iona and Seton Hall.

EKU president Michael Benson says in a release that McHale came highly recommended and "we have every confidence that he will take our program to the next level."