INDIANAPOLIS – On Wednesday, May 8, Director of Athletics Steve Downing officially announced the hiring of Pat Knight as the next Marian men’s basketball head coach. Knight, the son of legendary coach Bob Knight, is the 10th head coach in program history.

An introductory press conference will be held on Friday, May 10 at 12:00 p.m. to introduce the Knights head coach. All are welcome to come and hear the opening remarks from the newest head coach of the Marian men’s basketball team.

“I’m really excited to get back into coaching at Marian University,” said Pat Knight on being named the Knights head coach. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for 10 years. I look forward to working with Steve Downing and President (Dan) Elsener in any way I can to keep Marian University an elite university. I will work hard to have a team that the state of Indiana can be proud of.

It’s great to be back home in Indiana!”

Knight comes to Marian with a rich knowledge and history in the game of basketball, as a former player, head coach, and scout. Knight comes to Marian University after spending the past 10 years working as a scout for the Indiana Pacers, working on the west coast. His ties to Marian University are extensive, dating back to the relationship that his father Bob had with Marian University Director of Athletics Steve Downing. Downing played for Bob Knight at Indiana University, and later on in his career worked with the Knight family as an administrator at both Indiana and Texas Tech. The Knight family also has an endowed scholarship with Marian University, which began in 2012 after Bob Knight was inducted into the Clayton Family Circle of Honor.

“I am very proud and excited to name Pat Knight as our next basketball coach,” said Director of Athletics Steve Downing. “Pat and I have been close for several years having watched him grow up as a player and coach in my time at Indiana and Texas Tech, and I am once again thrilled to be working with him. We look forward to everything Pat will do for our program, and I am excited for the opportunity our players have to play for him.”

The new leader of the men’s basketball program most recently coached from 2011-2014, serving as the head coach at Lamar University. In his time at Lamar, Knight coached the Cardinals to an NCAA Tournament First Four appearance in his first season, winning the Southland Conference in year one. Prior to his stint at Lamar University, Knight was the head coach at Texas Tech University, where he patrolled the sidelines from 2007-2011. Knight succeeded his father as head coach following his retirement in February of the 2007-08 season, and recorded three double-digit win seasons with the Red Raiders, making one NIT Appearance, placing in the tournament quarterfinals.

Before taking on the head coaching duties at Texas Tech, Knight served as an assistant under his father from 2001-08, working as both an assistant and the associate head coach. Knight worked at Akron University as an assistant coach in the 2000-01 season, and prior to that was an assistant coach at his alma mater Indiana University from 1998-2000.

Knight began his coaching career in 1996 as an assistant in the basketball operations staff for the Pheonix Suns. Knight followed his season with the Suns and spent the next two years coaching in the Continental and International Basketball Associations, serving as the assistant for the Connecticut Pride in 1997 and as the head coach of the Wisconsin Blast in 1998.

As a player at Indiana University, Knight lettered four seasons and was a member of one of the winningest Bob Knight coached teams, as the Hoosiers won 87 games in his first three collegiate seasons. Knight played on the Final Four team in 1992 and helped the Hoosiers to a No. 1 ranking in the 1993 season in which they reached the NCAA Elite Eight.

Pat Knight is happily married to his wife Amanda.