NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The University of New Orleans has hired Texas Southern assistant and former Loyola New Orleans coach Stacey Hollowell as its privateers basketball coach.
Two years ago, Hollowell led Loyola to the NAIA Championship. After that season, he joined then-Mississippi State coach Kermit Davis' staff, but left Ole Miss in 2023 after Davis was fired.
Athletic director Tim Duncan said in Thursday's announcement that Hollowell is “a coach I've had my eye on over the last few years.”
“From our national championship season to our time at Ole Miss and Texas Southern, we've talked about our alignment of basketball philosophies,” Duncan said, calling Hollowell a “powerful recruiter” and ” “He has an innovative basketball spirit.”
Hollowell grew up in Mandeville, Louisiana, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans, and has a long-standing relationship with former NBA and major college coach Tim Floyd. Tim Floyd also coached at UNO early in his career.
“I was fortunate to meet Coach Tim Floyd as a young, aspiring player dribbling a basketball on my street in Mandeville,” Hollowell said in a statement released by UNO. “From that moment until now, he has been a friend and mentor, and I am honored to follow in his footsteps.”
Floyd said he has followed Hollowell's career path “with great interest and pride.”
“His national title at Loyola speaks for itself,” Floyd said. “Stacey didn't take any shortcuts to get his dream job. He's ready for it.”
Coach Hollowell led Loyola to 166 wins in eight seasons, five of which were 20 or more wins. He was named NAIA and NABC Coach of the Year after a campaign in which the team went 37-1 and won the national title, a period that coincided with the team's temporary evacuation due to Hurricane Ida.
“As a kid, I was lucky enough to see how vibrant Lakefront Arena was and how vibrant metro New Orleans was when UNO basketball was winning,” Hollowell said. said. Many former UNO coaches said this is an opportunity I have always wanted. ”
Hollowell will become Indiana State's lead assistant, replacing Mark Slesinger, who left UNO this spring after a 10-23 season.