Hawks name Rice new men’s basketball coach

Former UNC standout was assistant at Vanderbilt

BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Monmouth University’s new men’s basketball head coach is former North Carolina point guard King Rice. The Hawks introduced Rice, who was an assistant coach at Vanderbilt the last five years, on March 30 at the school’s Multipurpose Activities Center.Monmouth University’s new men’s basketball head coach is former North Carolina point guard King Rice. The Hawks introduced Rice, who was an assistant coach at Vanderbilt the last five years, on March 30 at the school’s Multipurpose Activities Center.Monmouth University is turning to a former point guard at the University of North Carolina, King Rice, to restore the men’s basketball program’s winning tradition.

Rice was introduced last week as the Hawks’ new head coach, bringing with him success as a college player and experience as an assistant coach with winning college programs.

“This is my dream [head coach],” said Rice. “I’m excited. I’m happy I got the opportunity. I’m really fortunate.”

Rice’s interest in coaching began in high school. He coached younger players and discovered that he not only liked it, he was able to connect with the youngsters.

Rice went off to play college basketball for one of the sport’s legendary coaches, Dean Smith, at the University of North Carolina. As the point guard under Smith, Rice was expected to be a coach on the floor. It was an invaluable experience for anyone looking to be a coach.

“I was taught to be a coach right from the beginning,” he said of his UNC days.

In 1991 as a junior, Rice led the Tar Heels to the Final Four and concluded his college career as third on the school’s alltime career assist list (269).

It was only natural that post-college, Rice turn to coaching, starting off as an assistant at Illinois State. For the last five years, he’s been the assistant coach under Kevin Stallings at Vanderbilt, and the Commodores made the NCAA Tournament in four of those five seasons, including this winter. With 13 years of coaching at the Division I level, it became time for Rice, a native of Binghamton, N.Y., to take the next step and head up his own program. Monmouth University presented him with that chance, and he beat out 18 others for the job.

Despite the Hawks’ 9-21 record last year and five straight losing seasons, Rice liked the fact that Monmouth has made the NCAA Tournament four times (most recently in 2006) and plays in a good conference (the Northeast Conference).

“It’s [Monmouth] a great job for anyone,” he said. “They’ve won in the past. If you do the right things, you can win again.”

One of the ways he plans to start is by sitting down with Dave Calloway, who resigned as the Hawks’ head coach after 14 years. Calloway was with the Monmouth program for 23 years, four as a star guard, five as an assistant and the last 14 as the head coach.

“In the future, I’m going to talk to Dave Calloway,” Rice pointed out. “He is a graduate ofMonmouth. He can tell me all about Monmouth.”

Monmouth’s new Multipurpose Activity Center was another attraction, according to Rice. The facilities, he said, are as good as any in the NEC.

The Hawks are getting a head coach who, at 42, is bringing energy and enthusiasm to the position.

“I like every aspect of this game,” he said. “I like recruiting, I like fundraising, I like meeting the faculty and students.” As for coaching, Rice comes well prepared. From Smith, he learned about the importance of defense; while working with Stallings, he’s learned from an offensivemind coach.

If there is going to be a trademark for Rice’s Hawks, it’s that “we’re going to play extremely hard on defense and fast on offense.”

Like anyone coaching a New Jersey college, keeping the talent home is always a challenge. “I’m going to build relationships with the high school and prep school coaches in the state,” Rice said.

While focusing on Jersey players, Rice said another advantage of coaching at Monmouth is the school itself.

“I’m able to recruit elsewhere because Monmouth is a good school,” he said.

Having a coach with Rice’s pedigree helps as well.