BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- UAB has hired North Carolina assistant Jerod Haase to be its head basketball coach.
The Blazers announced the hiring Monday night to replace Mike Davis, who was fired after making the NCAA tournament once in six seasons. Haase will be introduced Tuesday.
The top-seeded Tar Heels were knocked out of the NCAA tournament by Kansas on Sunday.
Haase, who turns 38 on April 1, worked under coach Roy Williams for 13 seasons at North Carolina and Kansas, where he starred as a player and graduated in 1997.
He was head coach of North Carolina's junior varsity team the past five seasons.
"I am elated for both Jerod and UAB," Williams said in a statement Monday night. "This will be a great marriage. He is one of the finest young men I have ever known. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind he is going to be a great head coach. The people at UAB can count on the fact that Jerod will spend every single day continuing to build a great program there. He has tremendous work ethic and enthusiasm and will bring imagination to the basketball staff and program. He is a tireless worker and will have a great deal of passion for not only the basketball program, but the entire university community."
Haase helped the Tar Heels win national championships in 2005 and 2009. He played for Williams at Kansas on teams that won three consecutive conference titles, finishing among the school's Top 10 in assists, 3-pointers and steals.
Haase started 99 of 101 games during his career, averaging 12.5 points per game, after playing for a season at California and starting alongside Jason Kidd.
Williams brought Haase with him to North Carolina as an assistant coach and director of operations. He held the latter title from 2003-2009, rotating from the bench every other year.
And once again the Blazers have tapped a head coach from one of college basketball's marquee programs. Davis was head coach at Indiana, leading the Hoosiers to the national title game.
He takes over a program that went to seven straight NCAA tournament appearances during Gene Bartow's tenure, which ended in 1996.
