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Pete ThamelESPN
Army basketball has reached a five-year deal to hire Butler assistant Kevin Kuwik as the school’s next head coach, sources told ESPN.
Kuwik brings a long line of strong mentors to the job, as he’s worked for Thad Matta, Bob McKillop, Brad Stevens and Archie Miller.
According to sources, one of the attractions for the Army brass was Kuwik’s military experience. Upon graduating from Notre Dame, he served 10 years in the Army ROTC program.
He also took an 18-month leave of absence from his job at Ohio University early in his career to serve with the 113th Engineer Battalion of the Indiana National Guard in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He earned a bronze star for meritorious service while serving in Iraq.
This will be Kuwik’s first head coaching job, and it comes at one of the most challenging jobs in the sport. Army is one of four schools that has been eligible for the NCAA tournament in every season it has existed and not reached it. (Army did qualify for the NCAA tournament once in 1968, but coach Bob Knight elected to play in the NIT.)
Kuwik replaces Jimmy Allen, who went 98-112 in seven seasons.