Dan Hurley's Seton Hall Roots Run Deep
Seton Hall Background
In December of 1993, at the beginning of his junior season at Seton Hall, Dan Hurley had had enough. Hurley spent his college career as a point guard at Seton Hall, a Big East rival of UConn both then and now. However, Hurley's tenure at Seton Hall University (1991-96) was marked by frustration with his playing time and a desire to make a bigger impact on the team.
St. Anthony's High School Star
Hurley was a star player at St. Anthony's High School in Jersey City, New Jersey. He led the team to two state championships and was named a McDonald's All-American. However, he struggled to find his place at Seton Hall. Hurley played for George Blaney, a longtime associate head coach to Jim Calhoun. Blaney was a demanding coach who often clashed with Hurley.
Transfer to UConn
In December of 1993, Hurley decided to transfer to UConn. He sat out the rest of the season due to NCAA transfer rules, but he quickly became a star for the Huskies. Hurley helped lead UConn to the NCAA Tournament in 1995 and 1996. He was also named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 1996.
Seton Hall Success
After graduating from UConn, Hurley began his coaching career as an assistant at Wagner College. He then spent three seasons as the head coach at Wagner before being hired by Seton Hall in 2010. Hurley has led the Pirates to two NCAA Tournament appearances in his six seasons at the helm.
Former Teammates Reaction
Hurley's success at UConn has been met with mixed reactions from his former Seton Hall teammates. Some are happy for him, while others are still bitter about the way he left the program. However, all of them agree that Hurley is a talented coach who has the potential to lead UConn to a national championship.
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