BREAKING NEWS: Cooley Accepts PC Job

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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

GoLocalProv first reported on March 12th that Fairfield’s Ed Cooley was PC’s choice to replace the fired Keno Davis as men’s basketball coach. That announcement will be made official at a press conference Wednesday at 1:30pm at PC's Alumni Hall.

Cooley’s Fairfield Stags lost in the second round of the NIT Sunday and, according to sources, yesterday he sat down with PC officials where he was officially offered and accepted the job.

Sources also tell GoLocalProv that it is a 7-year deal that Cooley will receive from the school. The financial terms are not yet known. He will also reportedly bring his staff with him from Fairfield to Providence College but it may include some minor changes. GoLocalProv has learned that assistant Brian Blaney may serves as PC's Director of Basketball Operations. What is not clear is if Cooley will keep Chris Driscoll from the previous coaching staff or possibly add another coach to his staff.

A native of Providence, Cooley starred at Central High School in the late 80’s. He served as an assistant coach to Al Skinner at both URI and Boston College before landing the Fairfield head coaching post 5 years ago.

Now Cooley returns home to take over a program that has struggled for the past two years in the Big East Conference

Cooley becomes the 15th coach in the program’s history and its first African-American coach. He is 41 years old.