Georgetown University has announced the hiring of Ed Cooley as the new head coach for their men’s basketball team, after he was lured away from his former position at Big East competitor Providence.

The university hopes that Cooley can lead the team to success and restore the program’s reputation, which has declined in recent years under former star player Patrick Ewing. Cooley’s hiring was made public on Monday, following his resignation from Providence, as announced in a press release by the university.

“I plan on hitting the ground running, getting to work on the court and cultivating relationships in and around the District,” Cooley said in a statement released by his new employer. “Accepting this opportunity with Georgetown is not a decision I took lightly.”

After 12 years at Providence, Ed Cooley departs the Friars with a record of 242-153 and seven March Madness appearances, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2022. While his team had a 21-12 record this season, they ended on a sour note with four consecutive losses, including defeats against Connecticut in the first round of the Big East Tournament and Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

“Coach Cooley is a mentor to young men, and a consistent winner with an impressive body of work,” Georgetown athletic director Lee Reed said. “His previous experience gives him an understanding of our Jesuit values and I am confident that he is the coach to return our program to prominence within the Big East and nationally.”

During Providence’s season, Cooley’s name was already rumored to be linked to the Georgetown coaching position. After the team’s loss to Kentucky on Friday, Cooley was asked if he would be returning, and he responded with “Next question.”

When asked again if it was possible that it was his last game with Providence, Cooley did not provide a direct answer.

“There’s all kinds of rumors and speculation, and I know you guys are trying to do your job. I get it,” said Cooley, whose daughter is a student at Georgetown. “But after a game like this, I just think it’s fair to talk about our players. I think it’s fair to talk about the game.”

Ed Cooley, who is 53 years old, will be the head coach for the Georgetown men’s basketball team, his third college team in this role. He was the coach at Fairfield for five years before joining Providence. He is the first coach for Georgetown in almost 50 years who doesn’t have a direct connection to John Thompson Jr., who became the head coach in 1972.

After Thompson Jr. was succeeded by assistant Craig Esherick, the coach was followed by John III, and then by Ewing, who was a former player under Thompson Jr. Ewing was terminated on March 9 after his team went 75-109 in six seasons, with only one appearance in March Madness, which ended in the first round in 2021.

Ewing’s last two games were particularly difficult, losing both by a combined 72 points, one against Creighton and one in the Big East Tournament against Villanova.