Providence found its man to replace Keno Davis. And this time it’s going local.
The Friars have hired Fairfield coach Ed Cooley, a Providence native, as its new men’s basketball coach, according to multiple sources and first reported by Jeff Borzello.
Cooley, 41, has spent the past five seasons at Fairfield, going 92-69 overall. The Stags were 25-8 and won the MAAC regular-season title this season.
He’ll face a tall task to win at Providence, where Davis was 46-50 in three seasons and just 18-36 in Big East play. Davis’ predecessor, Tim Welsh, won more than 19 games twice in 10 seasons at Providence and had just two seasons with conference records above .500.
Cooley could have success thanks to his local ties (he also was an assistant at Boston College) and his energy, but it’ll take time with the Friars.
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