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Richard Pitino Hires Dan McHale

University of Minnesota head men's basketball coach Richard Pitino today announced the addition of Dan McHale to his coaching staff. McHale joins the previously announced Kimani Young and Ben Johnson on Pitino's inaugural Gopher staff.
"I have known Dan for a long time and know that he will be a great addition to our staff," said Pitino. "He fits what we already have in place here with Kimani and Ben, which is a love and passion for the game of basketball. I am looking forward to working with this staff as we build a competitive Big Ten program."
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McHale comes to the Twin Cities after serving as an assistant coach to Kevin Willard at Seton Hall for three seasons. McHale spent a total of six seasons on Willard's staff, also working on his staff at Iona College.
"I am excited to join Coach Richard Pitino and the rest of the staff here at Minnesota," said McHale. "He is one of the best coaches in the business and I am thrilled to be a part of this great staff. It is an exciting time for Gopher fans and I am really looking forward to getting to know everyone in the community and learning more about the great tradition that Minnesota Basketball has had and will continue to have."
While at Seton Hall, McHale was in charge of the Pirates' defensive game planning and spearheaded opponent scouting and game preparation. He also spent time analyzing each opponent's game film in order to develop appropriate responses to various schemes.
In his three seasons at Iona, McHale assisted Coach Willard in the rebuilding of the Gaels program. Their final season in New Rochelle (2009-10) included a nine-win improvement that resulted in 21 wins and the semifinals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. Willard was named the MAAC Coach of the Year following the season.
McHale spent four seasons at the University of Louisville, two as a video coordinator and two as a staff assistant, under Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino. During the final two seasons, McHale was responsible for advance scouting video upcoming opponents as well as evaluation video for Cardinal players.
As a staff assistant at Louisville, McHale's duties included assisting in opponent scouting through film breakdowns, game preparation, and assisting in on-campus recruiting efforts.
A native of Chatham, N.J., McHale was a student manager for four years at the University of Kentucky (1997-2001), graduating with honors with a bachelor's degree in business administration.
He and his wife Jackie have a daughter, Lilly, and a son, Daniel.
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