More about coaching changes in the basketball program

Donny Jones, a native of Point Pleasant, W.Va., has been named Marshall's new men's basketball coach. Jones just completed his 11th season coaching at Florida and his 13th overall under Billy Donovan. The former Marshall assistant was instrumental in helping the Gators capture their second consecutive NCAA National Championship this season.

"It is a great honor to put on this green jacket and be here at Marshall University," Jones said. "The thing that makes this place so special is the people and it is so good to be home. We are Marshall and we have a chance to do a lot of great things here."

Jones, who was retained as an assistant coach at Marshall when Donovan was hired as the Thundering Herd's head coach in 1994, assisted in all phases of coaching at Florida - from off-campus recruiting, practice planning, on-floor coaching, to scouting.

"We were looking for a high energy person to inspire our team, our community here at Marshall, and those around us," MU President Stephen J. Kopp said. "We wanted someone with tremendous character, leadership, and passion and we found all of that in Donnie Jones."

"It is always special when you can welcome people back to the place they grew up and call home," Director of Athletics Bob Marcum said. "Donnie and his wife Michelle are West Virginians and they have a great interest in Marshall and it is great to have them home."

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin was also in attendance and echoed those same sentiments.

"There is something special about coming home," Manchin said. I got the chance to talk to Donnie and his beautiful wife Michelle earlier and Point Pleasant and Salt Rock are home. For Donnie to be leaving the level he left (the University of Florida) and showing where he wants to be speaks volumes of who we are and who Marshall University is and what can be accomplished here."

Jones has played a key role in UF's recruiting and player development that has led to a school-record nine consecutive NCAA appearances, four Southeastern Conference Eastern Division titles, three SEC Tournament titles and the school's first national titles in 2006 and 2007. The 1999 and 2000 teams made the first back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in school history and the 2000 squad made the first-ever appearance in the National Championship game. Combined with UF's Final Four run and national title in 2007, the Gators are the only team to play for the national title twice, let alone three times, in the 2000s. The 2005 squad made history, becoming the first UF team to win the SEC Tournament. The Gators went 261-103 (.717) during Jones' 11-year stint in Gainesville and have posted more 20-win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances (nine each) than they did in the 77-year history of the program prior to this staff's arrival. Jones has been responsible for helping the Gators attract some of the most accomplished recruiting classes in college basketball. Since 1998, the Gators have signed nine McDonald's High School All-Americans while boasting consensus top five recruiting classes four of the past eight years.

University of Florida Head Coach Billy Donovan had this to say about Jones accepting the Marshall coaching position.

"I've got a lot of strong feelings about Marshall, I admire and respect the passion for basketball among its fans," Donovan said. "Marshall is getting a great coach, a fantastic recruiter and an even better person, and in addition, a native of West Virginia to lead the program. Marshall has hired a first class coach in Donnie Jones."

Jones served on the Marshall staff for six years. He was a graduate assistant at Marshall in 1990 and earned his master's degree in sports management in 1992. He was then promoted to assistant coach and was involved in all aspects of the basketball program, assisting with scouting, the conditioning program, film exchange, on-floor coaching and serving as Thundering Herd's Summer Camp Coordinator. Prior to his arrival at Marshall in the early `90's, Jones worked for two years as an assistant coach at Pikeville College (Kentucky), his alma mater. While at Pikeville, Jones was responsible for scouting, recruiting, pre-season conditioning, on-floor coaching and the school's summer basketball camps. Jones also worked in an administrative capacity in the admissions office while at Pikeville.

Jones, 40, earned his bachelor's degree in business education from Pikeville in 1988 after setting several school records during a stellar basketball career. He set school records for most assists in a game (21), season (276) and in a career (513). Jones served as the team's captain as a senior, finishing second in the nation in the NAIA with 10.7 assists per game. During his career, Jones played with two-time NAIA All-American Todd May, who averaged 40.1 points per game, and helped Pikeville to its first 20-win season in 11 years. Jones was inducted into the Pikeville Hall of Fame in the summer of 2004.

Jones is married to the former Michelle Gibson of Salt Rock, W.Va. They have two children, a daughter, Madisyn, born on Feb. 17, 2001, and a son, Donald, born on Feb. 4, 2004.

Excerpts from The www.HerdZone.com.