Arkansas State University turned to the Rick Pitino coaching tree for its new men's basketball coach.
The Red Wolves introduced Louisville assistant coach Mike Balado as their new head coach Monday at a news conference in Jonesboro.
Balado, 41, comes to Arkansas State after spending the past four seasons as an assistant coach at Louisville. He becomes ASU's 16th head basketball coach.
"It's a great tribute to our emerging brand that we can hire a lead assistant from an elite program," ASU Athletic Director Terry Mohajir said. "Without a doubt, I think there is no one in the country more prepared to lead our program at this time than Mike Balado."
The list of former Pitino assistants who have found success as head coach is a lengthy one: Billy Donovan (Florida, Oklahoma City Thunder), Mick Cronin (Cincinnati), Ralph Willard (Western Kentucky, Pittsburgh), Herb Sendek (North Carolina State, Arizona State, Santa Clara) and Pitino's son, Richard, now head coach at Minnesota.
Louisville posted a 106-32 overall record (.768 winning percentage) during Balado's four seasons working with Pitino.
Pitino, who has won national titles at Kentucky and Louisville, has a 770-269 record in 32 seasons as a college coach.
This season, he helped lead Louisville to a 25-9 record and a No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament. Louisville lost to Michigan in the second round Sunday.
"I am extremely humbled and honored to be the head men's basketball coach at Arkansas State University," Balado said, praising the vision that Mohajir and system president Dr. Chuck Welch have for the program. "I look forward to helping all these young men fulfill their dreams in the classroom, on the court and in life after basketball."
In the summer of 2015, Balado served as an assistant coach with the Puerto Rico National Team under coach Rick Pitino. The team competed in the Pan American Games and FIBA Americas Championship.
The Cardinals were 27-9 in 2014-2015 during their first season in the ACC and reached the Elite Eight. The 2015-2016 season saw Louisville put together a 23-8 record and a No. 16 ranking in the final Associated Press poll while beating two Final Four participants in North Carolina and Syracuse.
Louisville did not participate in the NCAA Tournament last season because of a self-imposed postseason ban brought on by an escort sex schandal.
His first season with the program saw it post a 31-6 record, claim the American Athletic Conference tournament and regular-season championships, advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 and earn a top-five national ranking.
"It took about five minutes of talking to Coach Balado to realize he is the man to lead our basketball program," Welch said. "His enthusiasm, energy and experience at a high-level program make him the perfect fit. Most importantly, he made it very clear that he had done his research and wanted this job. When we made the offer he said, 'Let's go win some championships.' I have no doubt that is exactly what we are about to do with Coach Balado."
Balado was an assistant coach for Richard Pitino, Rick's son, at Florida International University before joining the Louisville staff. During that 2012-2013 season, he helped the Panthers to an 18-14 record, their first winning season in 13 years and fourth-highest win total in school history.
Balado succeeds Grant McCasland, who resigned to coach North Texas. McCasland finished with a 20-12 record in his only season at Arkansas State.
Balado said after Sunday's game that he completed his deal with ASU on Sunday morning "right when we were getting ready to leave to go to shootaround."
Balado and Mohajir worked together at Florida Atlantic, where Balado was an assistant from 2005-2008.
Balado, from Miami, and his wife Alicia have two children -- twins Aiden and Addy -- born in June 2009.
Sports on 03/21/2017