Ruston, LA (Sports Network) – Louisiana Tech has chosen Michael White, an assistant at Ole Miss, to be its next head men’s basketball coach.
White, 34, spent the last seven seasons on the Ole Miss staff and helped turn the Rebels’ program into a winning one. He takes over a Louisiana Tech program that had only one winning season in four years under Kerry Rupp, who was fired a week ago.
“I can’t express how excited I am to be coaching a program at such a prestigious institution under the leadership of such a dynamic administration,” White said. “Louisiana Tech has all the resources necessary, including a fertile recruiting base, to compete for championships and berths in the NCAA Tournament. Those are my goals.”
White was a four-year starting point guard at Ole Miss in the late 1990s and helped lead the Rebels to three NCAA Tournament berths. After a brief professional career, he joined Jacksonville State’s coaching staff for four years.
Louisiana Tech athletics director Bruce Van De Velde chaired the school’s search committee, and said White was a leading candidate for several reasons. Among them were White’s success as a player and coach in the Southeastern Conference, and his experience as a recruiter with connections in the southern part of the country.
“Michael is a winner in every sense. He demonstrates great intensity, a strong work ethic, and outstanding integrity and class,” Van De Velde said. “We are proud to have him as the new leader of our men’s basketball program.”
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