Sat Mar 29 18:14:02 2008

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TCU tabs Kent State's Christian as its next men's hoops coach

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Fort Worth, TX (Sports Network) - Texas Christian hired Jim Christian as its men's head basketball coach, the school announced Saturday.

Christian spent the last six seasons heading the program at Kent State, where he compiled a 138-58 record, won at least 20 games in each season, and had the highest winning percentage in Mid-American Conference history.

Christian's teams there appeared in two NCAA Tournaments, in 2006 and this most recent season, after compiling 28-7 record and winning the MAC tourney title. The Golden Flashes were a No. 9 seed -- the highest in school history -- though ended up bowing out in the first round to UNLV.

"Jim Christian is a proven head coach and a perfect fit for TCU," TCU athletic director Danny Morrison said. "He was targeted early in the process, and we couldn't be happier to have him as our head men's basketball coach."

Christian served as an assistant coach for one year at Kent State before taking the head coaching position. Prior to that, he held coaching jobs at Pittsburgh, Miami-Ohio, Western Kentucky, and Saint Francis-Pa.

Christian replaces former head coach Neil Dougherty, who posted a 75-108 record in six seasons, including a 14-16 mark this season. Dougherty was fired with a year left on his contract.