Dayton is welcoming back one of its own to its basketball program.
Anthony Grant, who played for Dayton in the mid-80s, has been announced as the next head coach of the Flyers, replacing former coach Archie Miller.
Grant not only played at the collegiate level for the Dayton Flyers, he was also a head coach for many years, including three years at VCU and six at Alabama. He lead both programs to winning seasons, going 76-25 at VCU and 117-85 at Alabama. He has spent the last two seasons as as assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I am honored and humbled to be the head coach at the University of Dayton,” Grant said. “It’s a great responsibility to take over at an institution that is so well-respected. Anyone you talk to in college basketball would say our program is a successful one, but the potential is here for so much more.”
“Anthony Grant is a proven winner with the highest integrity,” athletic director Neil Sullivan said. “He has successful experience in coaching, recruiting and playing basketball at an elite level. … He is absolutely the right coach.”
A 1987 graduate of the University of Dayton, Grant was a four-year basketball letter winner and three-year starter. In his 105 games, he averaged 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He was also the team’s co-captain and in his senior year, was named as the White-Allen Most Valuable Player and played in two NCAA tournaments and one NIT.
Grant is stepping into a void left by Miller, where he led Dayton to four straight NCAA tournament appearances, including the Elite Eight in the 2013-2014 season. Miller is moving on to Indiana, who fired Tom Crean a few weeks ago. But with a successful track record as a coach and Flyer blood in his veins, Grant should be counted on to continue the winning ways of Dayton.
