Minnesota hired Xavier’s assistant Ben Johnson as his new male basketball coach, announced the school on Monday.
Johnson replaces Richard Pitino, who was fired last week after eight seasons with the Golden Gophers.
Johnson was born in Minneapolis and graduated in Minnesota in 2005. He played two seasons for the Golden Gophers, averaging nine points per game, after spending two seasons at Northwestern.
He also spent five seasons as a technical assistant in Minnesota under Pitino, establishing himself as a top recruiter in the state. Johnson hired former ESPN 100 recruit and future professional Amir Coffey, among others.
“The University of Minnesota is such a special place and it has impacted me in immeasurable ways on and off the court,” Johnson said in a statement. “I want to thank President Joan Gabel, [athletic director] Mark Coyle, [deputy AD] Julie Manning and everyone involved in the search process for believing in me and trusting me to lead this historic program. I am ready to work. “
According to the school, Johnson will receive a five-year contract pending approval from the board of directors.
Johnson has been Travis Steele’s assistant at Xavier for the past three seasons. He also worked as an assistant coach in Nebraska and Northern Iowa.
Minnesota has been struggling in recent years to prevent the best candidates from leaving the state for college, and the hope of the Gophers is that Johnson’s relationship with the school and AAU coaches in the region can help keep these players at home. He met with Coyle over the weekend and agreed to a deal on Monday.
“Ben is a proven coach who is ready to lead his own program,” said Coyle in the statement. “He won this opportunity and is an excellent teacher, recruiter and relationship builder. I am thrilled that he is leading his alma mater and I am excited about the future of our men’s basketball program.”