Published March 29. 2023 05:57PM
by RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Sports Writer
Penn State is hiring VCU’s Mike Rhoades to be its new men’s basketball coach, a person involved in the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the seven-year contract for Rhoades still needed final approval from the school’s board of trustees, which was scheduled to meet later Wednesday.
Rhoades, a former standout player at Mahanoy Area High School, will replace Micah Shrewsberry, who was hired away by Notre Dame last week. Shrewsberry, an Indiana native, was at Penn State for two seasons, leading the Nittany Lions to the NCAA Tournament this season.
Rhoades, 50, is 176-113 in six seasons as head coach at VCU, including three NCAA Tournament bids. He also spent three seasons at Rice, going 23-12 in the final year with the Owls before returning to VCU.
He was an assistant at the Richmond, Virginia, school from 2009-14 under then-head coach Shaka Smart.
Virginia Commonwealth head coach Mike Rhoades celebrates after cutting down the net after an NCAA college basketball game against Dayton in the championship of the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in New York. Virginia Commonwealth won 68-56. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)