Louisville has agreed to a seven-year deal worth about $4 million per year with Xavier men's basketball coach Chris Mack, multiple sources told ESPN. Mack has informed his players of his decision to take the job.
Mack has been the head coach of the Musketeers for the past nine seasons, reaching the NCAA tournament eight times. Xavier won a game in six of those eight NCAA appearances. The Musketeers won the Big East regular-season title this season, earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament before being upset by Florida State in the second round.
Mack thanked Xavier on Twitter.
Thank You Xavier! pic.twitter.com/qXjvfko6UN
— Chris Mack (@CoachChrisMack) March 27, 2018
Before being promoted to head coach, Mack was an assistant coach under Sean Miller at Xavier for five seasons. He also spent time as an assistant coach under Skip Prosser at both Wake Forest and Xavier.
Mack, 48, played his college ball at Evansville and Xavier.
His wife, Christi, grew up and still has family in Louisville.
"I want to thank Chris Mack for his exceptional work with the Xavier basketball program over the last 14 years, including the last nine years as our head coach," Xavier AD Greg Christopher said in a statement. "We wish Chris the best of luck as he attacks a new challenge."
Mack added in the statement that Xavier will conduct a national search to find its new coach, and that he has assured the players that "we will find the best person to continue the progress of our program."
Mack replaces Rick Pitino, who was fired for cause in October after the program was linked to an FBI investigation into fraud and corruption in college basketball. Allegations against Louisville included payments of $100,000 to the family of Brian Bowen to sign with the Cardinals.
Former assistant coach David Padgett took over for Pitino on an interim basis. Padgett led Louisville to the brink of the NCAA tournament, but the Cardinals were left out on Selection Sunday. They finished their season in the NIT.