Men’s basketball coach Earl Grant was officially introduced to the College of Charleston community on Sept. 5, 2014, at a press conference in Cistern Yard.
Standing atop the Cistern, Grant was introduced by President Glenn McConnell and Athletics Director Joe Hull.
“This is a special day,” McConnell said in his opening remarks. “This is our 105th season of Cougar basketball. I have a feeling our 105th season is going to be a great one.”
McConnell said Grant is a winner in basketball and in life and that the search committee had been impressed by his proven ability to shape and mold student-athletes into great players and great people.
“We have found a winner in Earl Grant,” McConnell said.
RELATED: View more photos from the press conference.
Grant was accompanied at the event by his wife, Jacci – a 2001 College alumna – and their sons Trey, Eyzaiah and Elonzo.
A native of North Charleston and a graduate of Stall High School, Grant said he grew up admiring the College’s basketball program, its players and former coach John Kresse.
“I was born and raised 14 minutes away from here,” Grant said. “I would come downtown and play basketball in John Kresse Arena. The thing that I remember is the spirit that was in the gym. It was a spirit of competitiveness.”
Grant vowed to honor and uphold that spirit as head coach. “I’m not here by accident,” he said. “This is not a mistake. It’s destiny. I was supposed to be here.”
Grant said his goal is to fill all 5,100 seats in TD Arena when the basketball team plays at home – a comment that drew cheers and applause from the assembled crowd of alumni, faculty and staff, basketball players, fans and members of the College’s Board of Trustees.
RELATED: Read more about Earl Grant and his career as a player and coach.
Noting that the players and staff have been through a lot the past few weeks, Grant said that adversity could either tear a group’s members apart or bring them closer together. The Cougars have done the latter, he said. Pointing to his new team, Grant said, “That’s a special group.”
Grant, 37, becomes the College’s 23rd all-time head men’s basketball coach.
Earl Grant with President Glenn McConnell.
He spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach at Clemson University. Prior to Clemson, Grant spent six years as an assistant coach under former College of Charleston assistant coach Gregg Marshall – at Winthrop University from 2004 to 2007 and at Wichita State from 2007 to 2010. “Prior to his tenure at Winthrop, Grant was an assistant coach at The Citadel from 2002 to 2004.
A former student-athlete, Grant played two years at the NCAA Division II level at Georgia College in Milledgeville, Ga. He led the school to two appearances in the NCAA Tournament and to consecutive Peach Belt Conference Championships in 1999 and 2000. In 2000, the Bobcats advanced all the way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II national tournament.
Grant’s playing and coaching resume and the top-level head coaches who have mentored him throughout his career impressed the search committee, Hull said.
Over the last 10 seasons, every team with which Grant has been associated has placed first or second in their respective conference for defense, Hull noted.
“Our guiding star throughout the process always was do what is best for the College of Charleston,” Hull said. “I am confident that we have achieved that goal today.”
