Grand Canyon hires Pennell as basketball coach

Grand Canyon University announced the hiring of Russ Pennell as its new men's basketball coach Thursday.

Pennell guided the University of Arizona to a 21-14 record and Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament this past season, while serving as interim head coach. Pennell was hired as an assistant coach at Arizona on May 5, 2008. He took over the head job on Oct. 24, 2008, a day after Lute Olson resigned.

Pennell becomes Grand Canyon's12th head coach in the program's 60-year history. He replaces Dan Nichols, who went 13-14 in one season at the school.

"I think, as a coach, it's an opportunity to put your fingerprints on something," Pennell said. "I just think it's gonna be a really good fit. They were very aggressive. I knew I was wanted, and I felt very comfortable."

Pennell turned down NCAA Division I offers to coach at Grand Canyon.

"This is an exciting day for us," Grand Canyon CEO Brian Mueller said. "It gives us an opportunity to say that Grand Canyon was a secret for a lot of years. Grand Canyon is not a secret today."

Pennell was an assistant coach at Arizona State under Don Newman and Rob Evans from 1998-2004. The Sun Devils went 108-103 during that span, advancing to the 2003 NCAA Tournament. ASU also made three National Invitation Tournament appearances while Pennell was coaching with the Sun Devils.

Prior to ASU, he coached as an assistant at Mississippi from 1992-98. Ole Miss went 86-81 in those six seasons, advancing to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 1997 and 1998. The Rebels won the Southeastern Conference West Division title, posting 20-win seasons those two years.

Pennell began his college coaching career as an assistant under Eddie Sutton at Oklahoma State University from 1990-92. The Cowboys went 52-16, sharing the Big Eight Conference championship in 1990-91. OSU went 24-8 that year, advancing to the NCAA Tournament. In 1991-92, Oklahoma State was 28-8, and was ranked as high as No. 2 in The Associated Press Top 25 poll. OSU advanced to the Sweet 16 in both seasons Pennell was in Stillwater.

A couple hundred Grand Canyon University supporters, in addition to a heavy dose of media members, were on hand Thursday for the press conference announcing Pennell as the new coach.

“The level of excitement that was on campus today was wonderful to experience,” GCU Director of Athletics Keith Baker said. “We’re very excited about what Russ can bring to Grand Canyon University. What this hire does say is Grand Canyon University is serious about competing with our programs. We’re willing to step up in the PacWest, the West Region and hopefully at the Elite 8 level.”

Pennell said part of the lure of coaching in Antelope Purple and Black is the school’s Christian-based foundation.“One of the things that attracted me to Grand Canyon is that I get a chance to live out who I really am, not just as a basketball coach, but as a Christian,” Pennell said.

Pennell, who previously ran the Arizona Premier Basketball Academy in the Phoenix area, will remain in Tucson through the end of the school year before relocating his family back to the Valley in the summer.

“My children told me they were boycotting me if we didn’t move back here,” he joked.

Pennell said the university’s progressive vision for the future and its commitment to the basketball team made accepting the job an easy decision.

“When I met with the administration here and we started talking about things, I was like, ‘Well, that’s what I’m looking for,’” he said. “They want to make athletics the front porch to the house here.”

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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