Showing his typical emotion, Dan Hurley was introduced as UConn's new men's basketball coach on Friday.
Hurley, 45, surrounded by family and friends from his basketball career and the school hierarchy appeared in the practice gym at the Werth Family Center, the basketball practice facility, shortly after 1 p.m. ending a two-week process in which he wrestled with offers from Pittsburgh and UConn, and the pull to stay at Rhode Island, where he revitalized the program, leading the Rams to back-to-back NCAA appearances.
Hurley was effusive as he began to address the media. "I knew it was going to be big today, but wow," he said. "I'm a pretty emotional coach and I'm pretty obsessed with winning. It's humbling to lead this storied program. UConn is one of the great brands in college basketball."
He then laid out some basics.
"There is not going to be a more connected team, a harder-playing team," Hurley said. "We'll begin by building a championship culture with those men over there (pointing to the players). That's a motivated group."
In attendance were former UConn coaches Jim Calhoun and Dee Rowe, Hurley's father, Bob Sr., and former UConn assistant Tom Moore, expected to return as a member of the new staff. All of the current UConn players were also in attendance along with former Husky Kevin Freeman, the director of basketball administration.
Of course, Hurley paid tribute to the man who put the program on the map. "Coach Calhoun has been a role model since I've been in coaching," he said. "How tough and attacking he was as a coach."
After two losing seasons, UConn Athletic Director David Benedict fired Kevin Ollie and immediately began pursuing Hurley, landing him with a six-year contract with roughly $18 million. UConn, with four national titles between 1999 and 2014, is hoping Hurley can revitalize another program.
"It was a difficult process, but the result is great," Benedict said.
