Tonight, Dan McHale will return to the sidelines at Rupp Arena, this time as the head coach of the Eastern Kentucky Colonels. From 1997-2001, McHale was a student manager for the UK Basketball team, taking part in UK’s 1998 Championship run, along with three SEC Championships under Tubby Smith. From there, McHale served on staffs at Louisville, Manhattan, Iona, Seton Hall, and Minnesota, where he was Richard Pitino’s top assistant. In April, he got his chance to return to the Bluegrass for his first head coaching job, right down I-75 from where it all began.
In his first game coaching at Rupp, McHale will honor his roots, leaving the first seat on the bench open for Bill Keightley, the former equipment manager who was his boss during his time at UK.