Kearney gets Cross job

Sean Kearney - who spent 13 years as an assistant and associate head coach under Mike Brey, first at Delaware and then at Notre Dame - is the new head coach at Holy Cross. The 49-year old Kearney beat out Pitt assistant coach Tom Herrion and Tufts' coach Rod Baker - a Holy Cross alum - for the job. Kearney succeeds highly successful Ralph Willard, who left the Patriot League program last month to become the top assistant at Louisville, where he will rejoin close friend Rick Pitino. Kearney, who got his start in college coaching as a member of Pitino's staff at Providence in 1986-87 - built his reputation at Notre Dame by working with big men - specifically NBA first round picks Troy Murphy and Ryan Humphrey; Tori Francis and most recently rising senior Luke Harangody, the Big East Player of the Year in 2008 - over the last nine years. He is inheriting a team that returns four of five starters and should be the pre-season favorite to win the Patriot. (link)