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Minnesota’s Richard Pitino hires Seton Hall’s Dan McHale as assistant

Minnesota Richard Pitino Basketball

Minnesota athletic director Norwood Teague, left, introduces Richard Pitino as the new men’s basketball at a news conference, Friday, April 5, 2013, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Brian Peterson) MANDATORY CREDIT; ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS OUT; MAGS OUT; TWIN CITIES TV OUT

AP

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Richard Pitino is rounding out his coaching staff as the new head man at Minnesota, and he added another coach to the fold in Seton Hall assistant Dan McHale.

Multiple sources reported the hire Tuesday afternoon, with McHale coming aboard in Minneapolis after three season’s under Kevin Willard in the Pirates’ program.

McHale has a number of connections to Pitino, all dating back to working under Pitino’s father Rick at Louisville. McHale served as staff assistant and video coordinator with the Cardinals before leaving with Willard, who was an assistant under Pitino at the same time, for a spot on the bench at Iona. After three years at Iona, McHale followed Willard to Seton Hall.

McHale also has ties to former Minnesota coach Tubby Smith, working for him as a student assistant as an undergrad at Kentucky from 1997-2001.

The hire completes the meat of Pitino’s first staff with the Golden Gophers which, as Amelia Rayno of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune points out, is really young. Pitino doesn’t have a single assistant over 40, with Kimani Young being 39.

Can’t hurt to be closer in age to the kids you’re recruiting, right?

Follow David Harten on Twitter at @David_Harten