Fri Apr 11 16:13:53 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Detroit tabs McCallum as next head coach

---

Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - The University of Detroit Mercy has named Ray McCallum as its head men's basketball coach, the school announced Friday.

McCallum replaces Perry Watson, who won more than 250 games in 15 years with the Titans before retiring March 5. The 47-year-old McCallum comes to Detroit from Indiana, where he spent two years as an assistant.

"This is a tremendous day. UDM has a great basketball tradition and I'm glad to be part of the next chapter," McCallum said. "I have recruited in the area throughout my coaching career and I know the passion for basketball Detroit fans do possess. I'm very pleased that the UDM administration has chosen me for this position."

McCallum has 24 years of coaching experience in the top levels of college basketball, including stints as the head coach at Ball State (1994-2000) and Houston (2001-2004). He owns a 170-149 coaching record and guided Ball State to the NCAA Tournament in 1995 and 2000.

"Coach McCallum brings with him all of the key elements we were looking for in our new head basketball coach," said Detroit athletic director Keri Gaither. "He has a wealth of head coaching experience and he is a proven recruiter. Both of those qualities stood out during our search process. We expect them to pay dividends for the Titans."

After leaving Houston, McCallum joined Kelvin Sampson's staff at Oklahoma, then moved on to Indiana when Sampson took the Hoosiers' top job before the 2006 season. McCallum has also served as an assistant at Ball Sate, Wisconsin and Michigan.

He inherits a program that struggled to a 7-23 mark last season and went just 3-15 in Horizon League play.