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Arizona Hires new Head Coach: Sean Miller

The University of Arizona has announced the hiring of Sean Miller as head basketball coach. The 40-year-old Miller, who has been the head coach at Xavier for the past five seasons, will be introduced at a news conference in Tucson on Tuesday.

“I’m very pleased the coaching-search process has been completed with the hiring of Sean,” Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood said Monday. “It’s been an exhaustive week, but it’s a good day to be a Wildcat. We believe we’ve brought in the best young coach in the country, a proven winner who will take this program into the future.”

Miller compiled a record of 120-47 in his five seasons as Xavier’s head coach.

“During the last three days I have gone through a very difficult decision-making process,” Miller said. “I love Xavier University. Mike Bobinski, the director of athletics, has become a close friend of mine, and my players are like a part of my family. These factors made it hard for me to even consider leaving Xavier. However, I believe I have the opportunity of a lifetime to become the head basketball coach at the University of Arizona. It’s a school that has competed for a national championship for more than two decades. To be in charge of a new era of Arizona basketball, and to build the program toward winning a national title again, is where my heart is now. I look forward to this new step in my family’s life in Tucson.”

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Under Miller’s direction, the Xavier Musketeers won the last three Atlantic-10 Conference regular-season championships and played in the NCAA Tournament in each of the past four seasons. Xavier advanced to the Elite Eight in 2008 and to the Sweet 16 this season, when the Musketeers finished 27-8 and lost to top-seeded Pittsburgh in the semifinals of the East Regional.

Miller was named Xavier’s head coach in 2004 after Thad Matta left for Ohio State. Miller had been Matta’s top assistant for the previous three seasons.

Miller, a former standout player at the University of Pittsburgh, began his assistant-coaching career with stints at Wisconsin (1992-93), Miami of Ohio (1993-95), Pittsburgh (1995-96) and North Carolina State (1996-01).

Livengood said details of Miller’s contract with the University of Arizona will be announced at Tuesday’s news conference in Tucson.

Arizona finished this season with a record of 21-14, advancing to the Sweet 16 under the direction of Russ Pennell, who was named interim head coach on Oct. 24 following Lute Olson’s unexpected retirement.

By Tommy Comer
DFN Sports Staff Writer