Texas Tech has hired Grant McCasland to a six-year deal as the Red Raiders' new men's basketball coach, the school announced Friday.
McCasland has spent the past six seasons as head coach at North Texas, winning three Conference USA titles while going 135-65 at the school. The Mean Green (31-7) won the NIT championship on Thursday night to cap the school's first 30-win season.
"The commitment and vision for Texas Tech has no limits and we look forward to loving our team everyday with a greater purpose," McCasland, who has a master's degree from Texas Tech, said in a statement. "We will strive daily for excellence in every aspect of our program, do things the right way, winning championships that values relationships throughout."
McCasland earned his undergraduate degree from Baylor, where he was listed as a 5-foot-9 walk-on player who got into 47 games over four seasons, from 1995-99. He later was an assistant coach for the Bears from 2011-16 under coach Scott Drew.
"Our search committee was immediately impressed not only by Coach McCasland and his ability to win at every level of college basketball, all while creating a positive culture built upon toughness, but also his passion for Texas Tech and his vision for our basketball program," Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said.
UNT led the nation in scoring defense the past two seasons after limiting opponents to just 55.7 points per game in both seasons. UNT held 27 of its 38 opponents under 60 points this season.
"He established a program that has won championships, reached new postseason heights, and brought many moments of excitement to Mean Green fans," UNT athletic director Jared Mosley said. "He and his family will be missed in Denton, but we are excited about the foundation that has been built and what is to come for UNT Basketball."
McCasland, who has also coached at Arkansas State, Midwestern State and Midland College and has a career 211-89 record, will replace Mark Adams, who stepped down from his position on March 8 after he was suspended for using what the school called an "inappropriate, unacceptable, and racially insensitive comment."
While Texas Tech's inquiry determined that Adams' comments were unintentional and an isolated incident, the coach said he stepped down because he and the university felt the incident had become a distraction for the program.
Assistant coach Corey Williams handled interim head-coach duties during the Big 12 tournament.
Texas Tech, which finished 16-16 this season, has advanced to four of the past five NCAA tournaments, including the Sweet 16 in 2022.
McCasland began his career at Texas Tech as the men's basketball director of operations from 1999 to 2001.
He was 27 when he got his first head coaching job in 2004, at Midland College in Texas, which he led to the 2007 junior college national championship. He went 56-12 at Midwestern State from 2009-11 with back-to-back NCAA Division II tournament regional final appearances.
"I am thrilled for Coach McCasland, his family and Texas Tech. He has worked tremendously hard throughout his career preparing for this moment, experiencing great success at every stop along the way," Drew said. "I have no doubt he will be an asset to our conference, Texas Tech and the West Texas region as a whole."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.