Steve Pikiell hired to be next Rutgers coach

Stony Brook‘s Steve Pikiell will be named the next head basketball coach at Rutgers. Pikiell has been at Stony Brook since 2005 and took the Seawolves to their first ever NCAA Tournament this season.

Rutgers has struggled for the last decade, having not had a winning season since 2006. The Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten prior to the 2014-15 season, but have gone just 17-46 (3-33) since then. Previous head coach Eddie Jordan was fired back on March 10 after a 7-24 (1-17) season.

A Bristol, Connecticut native, Pikiell had an overall 197-174 record in eleven seasons at Stony Brook. In addition to this year’s NCAA berth, the Seawolves went to three NIT’s and 2 CBI’s during Pikiell’s tenure.

The up-and-coming coach looks to be a solid hire for Rutgers, who was rumored to be targeting Rhode Island head coach Dan Hurley earlier in the week. Pikiell has been coaching since 1991 after a four-year playing career at UConn under legendary coach Jim Calhoun.