Marquette hires Shaka Smart to lead men's basketball program

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Marquette University will hire Texas Longhorns Shaka Smart as its next head basketball coach, according to multiple independent sources.

A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Smart replaces Steve Wojciechowski who was fired last week.

IT'S OFFICIAL!!! Please help us welcome home Shaka Smart and his family to the @MarquetteU and #mubb family! RELEASE: https://t.co/lMKrQxfFGZpic.twitter.com/EKcRBeOBzv

— Marquette Basketball (@MarquetteMBB) March 26, 2021

The 43-year-old Smart was the head coach at Texas since 2015 and prior to that, was the head man at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) where he led VCU to five NCAA Tournament appearances.

Smart has a 272-142 coaching record at the two programs. He's made the NCAA Tournament total of eight times including his Final Four run with VCU in 2011. 

Most recently during the 2020-21 season, Smart led Texas to a Big 12 conference championship victory and the NCAA Tournament. However, the Longhorns were bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2021 in a stunning upset against Abilene Christian.