Dave Leitao Re-Hired as DePaul Basketball Coach | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Dave Leitao, who coached DePaul from 2002-2005, has been re-hired as head coach of the men's basketball team. 

Continue for updates.

Leitao Will Return to Coach DePaul

Sunday, March 29

DePaul has confirmed the re-hiring of Dave Leitao (via their official website): 

DePaul University announced today that Dave Leitao has been named men's basketball coach. Leitao returns to Lincoln Park after leading the program to three postseason appearances in his first stint from 2002-05.

"Following our search that garnered high-level national interest, we are excited to announce that Dave Leitao is our next men's basketball coach,' said athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto.

"His success here speaks for itself with three postseason appearances in three years with teams that energized our alumni and fans with their competitiveness and work ethic. When he left in 2005, we recognized that it is the nature of our business that dynamic coaches get recruited away.

"Now we are pleased to welcome Dave, his wife Joyce and their family back to Lincoln Park with great enthusiasm for his leadership and the future development of our men's basketball program."

Bobby Hurley Was Expected to Interview with DePaul Despite Rumors of Contract Negotiations with Buffalo

Wednesday, March 25

"Bobby Hurley has not signed deal to stay at Buffalo, sources told ESPN. As of this moment, source said he intends to interview with DePaul," reported ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

Hurley later told Tim Brando of Fox Sports that he and DePaul are in talks for a new deal but that nothing has been finalized, according to Patrick Netherton of the Tim Brando Show.

Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv noted, "In addition to interviewing at DePaul on Saturday, Bobby Hurley could also be in the mix at Arizona State."

Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News, citing sources, previously reported, "The University at Buffalo has reached a verbal agreement in principle to renegotiate the contract of Bobby Hurley and make him the highest-paid men's basketball coach in the Mid-American Conference." 

Gaughan added: "The oral agreement - if it's executed - would probably be expected to pre-empt any attempt to woo Hurley away from UB this year. DePaul has Hurley high on its list of candidates, numerous sources have reported."

Tuesday, Goodman reported Hurley was atop DePaul's list of potential candidates. Hurley, 43, has led Buffalo to at least a share of the conference championship in each of his two seasons and is coming off an NCAA tournament run in 2014-15. The Bulls have gone a combined 42-10 during his tenure.

Oliver Purnell recently resigned following a 12-20 campaign. DePaul was 54-105 overall during Purnell's tenure, which included five losing seasons. The program has had one winning record since joining the Big East (2006-07) and has not made the NCAA tournament in more than a decade.

Other candidates mentioned in Goodman's report include Valparaiso's Bryce Drew and former NBA head coach Tyrone Corbin.

Drew, 40, has gone 94-42 in four seasons at his alma mater. The team is coming off of a 28-6 regular season and its second tournament appearance in three years.

Corbin, 52, was most recently the interim head coach of the Sacramento Kings. He has a career 119-167 NBA record, most of which was spent with the Utah Jazz. Corbin is best known in DePaul circles as one of the team's stars in the early 1980s.