Jeff Boals is returning to his alma mater to lead the men’s basketball team at Ohio University.
Before becoming the head coach of America East Conference’s Stony Brook University in 2016, Boals was an assistant coach under Thad Matta at Ohio State University for seven years. During Boals’s tenure, the Buckeyes won three Big Ten Conference titles, and made four Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament along with an Elite Eight and Final Four appearance in the 2012 season.
Under the direction of Boals, the Stony Brook Seawolves had an overall record of 55-41 with an in-conference mark of 31-17. The Seawolves posted an impressive record of 24-8 (12-4 in America East) during the 2018-2019 season.
The newest head coach of the Bobcats was a vital part of the team’s success during his playing days in the early 1990s. The two-year captain led Ohio to both a Mid-American Conference championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1994.
In a recent press conference with Ohio Athletics upon his hiring, Boals expressed his excitement in returning to Ohio. “It means a lot to come back here,” said Boals. “I am honored and humbled to be the 19th head coach at Ohio University, my alma mater. I take that with great pride. There’s going to be no one more passionate than me serving this community and serving our student-athletes to be productive citizens in life.”
Boals’s hiring comes on the heels of a disappointing season for the Bobcats. The team was 14-17 overall (6-12 in MAC). Boals is replacing Saul Phillips, who was at Ohio for five seasons.