RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – While most VCU fans were hand-wringing over the possibility of head coach Shaka Smart leaving for Marquette or Wake Forest, associate head coach Mike Rhoades flew undetected and landed the head coaching job at Rice University.
Rhoades has been Smart’s top assistant since he came to VCU. Before that, Rhoades spent 13 years coaching at Division 3 Randolph-Macon in nearby Ashland, 10 as the head coach. In his time with the Yellow Jackets, Rhoades took them to 4 NCAA Division 3 tournaments, going 197-76.
Rhoades takes over an Owls program badly in need of reshaping. He will replace Ben Braun who resigned earlier this month after 6 seasons as head coach posting a 63-128 record, including 21-75 in C-USA. The Owls were just 7-23 this year.
“That’s why it was so attractive – because it’s Rice,” Rhoades said to the Houston Chronicle. “Because of their vision. I’m not afraid or scared of that. I want that.”
