Stony Brook hires Ohio State’s Jeff Boals

Stony Brook has hired Ohio State assistant coach Jeff Boals as it new head coach, a source with direct knowledge told SNY.tv.

Boals replaces Steve Pikiell, who left to take the Rutgers job after leading the Seawolves to their first NCAA Tournament appearance. Jay Young, Pikiell’s associate head coach at Stony Brook, had been in the mix to take over for his old boss but instead will join Pikiell at Rutgers.

“Stony Brook’s a great place, there’s great people there and I love those kids,” Pikiell told SNY.tv and NJ.com at a coaches’ clinic at Roselle Catholic on Friday. “Jeff does a great job, so I wish him luck and I’ll try to help him any way I can.”

Boals played at Ohio State from 1991-95 and was an assistant coach under Thad Matta since 2009.

Ohio State went 21-14 this past season and reached the second round of the NIT.

2016-04-08T13:31:52-0400Stony Brook hires Ohio State’s Jeff Boals

Written by Adam Zagoria

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Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.