Official: UMass set to announce Kellogg as new coach

4/22/2008 5:37 PM

By JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) -The University of Massachusetts has agreed to hire Memphis assistant and former Minuteman player Derek Kellogg as the new basketball coach, The Associated Press learned Tuesday.

Kellogg takes over from Travis Ford, who left to coach at Oklahoma State, a UMass official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the announcement was scheduled for Wednesday.

Kellogg, 34, played at UMass from 1991-1995 under current Memphis coach John Calipari and was an All-Atlantic 10 player. He has been an assistant coach at Memphis for eight years, and previously was at Youngstown State and George Mason.

During his time in Memphis, the Tigers produced eight consecutive 20-win seasons and five NCAA tournament berths in six years. This year's team won a record 38 games but lost to Kansas 75-68 in overtime in the national championship game.

Ford led UMass to a 25-11 record this season and an appearance in the NIT championship game, where it lost to Ohio State. He directed the Minutemen to a 62-35 mark in three seasons, including NIT bids the past two seasons.

Ford turned down a job offer from Providence, and UMass athletic director John McCutcheon announced that Ford had agreed to a new contract. Six days later, Ford left for Oklahoma State.