dailyloe.com – The College of Charleston will hire John Groce as its next men’s basketball head coach. This move comes less than a week after former coach Chris Mack left for South Florida. The school is expected to formally introduce Groce on Wednesday afternoon.
John Groce, 54, joins the Cougars from the University of Akron. He led the Akron Zips to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. His teams qualified for the tournament in four of the last five seasons.
Groce brings significant coaching experience to the Charleston program. He previously served as the head coach at the University of Illinois from 2012 to 2017. His first head coaching role was at Ohio University from 2008 to 2012.
His career head coaching record stands at 377 wins and 225 losses. In NCAA Tournament games, he holds a record of four wins and seven losses. His most recent Akron team lost to Texas Tech in this year’s tournament.
Groce also has an extensive background as an assistant coach. He worked at Taylor, NC State, Butler, Xavier, and Ohio State. This experience at multiple major programs is a key asset.
He replaces Chris Mack, who left Charleston on March 25. Mack led the Cougars to consecutive 20-win seasons. The search for his successor concluded rapidly with Groce’s hiring.
This appointment aims to maintain the program’s recent competitive momentum. The College of Charleston competes in the Coastal Athletic Association. Groce’s tournament experience is seen as vital for future success.[]
Source: WCIV
