FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont State men’s basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun has accepted the head coaching position at Youngstown State.
“First of all, I want to thank President (Jim) Tressel, Athletic Director Ron Strollo and the entire YSU community for the opportunity to lead this program,” Calhoun said in a release. “I am from Northeast Ohio, I have family all over Northeast Ohio and I know people in the Mahoning Valley love sports. We’re excited to build and grow a program that people love to watch.
“There are many really good things happening at Youngstown State, and we want basketball to be a part of that,” he continued. I believe you build it with people, and the people of Youngstown State drew me to this job. The administration, the campus and the city are all full of good people.”
Calhoun has spent the past five seasons at Fairmont State, winning 20-plus games in each. On Saturday his Falcons (34-3) finished as the Division II national runners-up with a loss to Northwest Missouri State 71-61.
Overall, Calhoun has put together a 124-38 record with Fairmont State.
He previously served as Bob Huggins’ assistant at Cincinnati and West Virginia.
Youngstown State is a Division I program that plays in the Horizon League. The Penguins went 13-21 this past season preceding coach Jerry Slocum’s retirement.
Former Fairmont State assistant and WVU standout Joe Mazzulla is considered a front-runner to replace Calhoun with the Falcons.