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Chambers takes Penn State job

Penn State has tabbed Boston University's Pat Chambers to take over the Nittany Lions basketball program, capping a whirlwind coaching search following the surprise departure of Ed DeChellis.

Pat Chambers previously coached at Villanova under Jay Wright. (David Swanson/Staff file photo)
Pat Chambers previously coached at Villanova under Jay Wright. (David Swanson/Staff file photo)Read more

Penn State has tabbed Boston University's Pat Chambers to take over the Nittany Lions basketball program, capping a whirlwind coaching search following the surprise departure of Ed DeChellis.

A posting on the website for Boston University announced the move late yesterday afternoon, confirmed soon afterward by Penn State.

"Penn State basketball begins a new era today," Nittany Lions athletic director Tim Curley said yesterday, "and Patrick Chambers ushers in that era with proven success, an appreciation of and commitment to Penn State ideals, and the energy and enthusiasm required to compete at the highest level."

Chambers, a former Villanova assistant from Episcopal Academy, led the Terriers to their first America East title and NCAA Tournament in nine seasons this spring. BU lost in the second round to Kansas. He is 42-28 since joining the Terriers in 2009. Last month, Chambers signed an extension that would have kept him at BU through 2015-16.

A news conference was scheduled Monday to formally introduce Chambers.

"I'm looking forward to bringing passion, energy and enthusiasm to Nittany Lion basketball," Chambers, 40, said in a statement. "We will play a style, and bring an attitude, that Nittany Nation can be proud of."

Terms of the deal are confidential, according to a Penn State spokesman. An open records report released last week by Penn State showed DeChellis earned nearly $807,000 in compensation in 2010. DeChellis left last week after eight seasons to coach Navy.

Chambers heads back to his home state more than a week after DeChellis left his alma mater to take the same job at Navy. The move took Curley by surprise, coming at an odd point in the basketball calendar when most schools have their coaching staffs in place ready for recruiting.

By yesterday morning, it became evident Chambers would be the pick. He was known at BU for implementing an up-tempo offense while keeping a focus on defense. This past season, BU was ranked 23rd in the nation in field goal defense at 39.9 percent.

But the Big Ten will be a step up in competition.

Chambers' Philadelphia ties could help in the region's fertile recruiting grounds. He joined Jay Wright's staff at Villanova in 2004 as director of operations before becoming an assistant the following season, then became associate head coach in 2008.

Chambers played college ball under Philadelphia University coach Herb Magee, who is part of this year's class at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Chambers served as an assistant at his alma mater from 2001-04 under Magee.

New Owls' assistant

Temple has brought back Dwayne Killings as an assistant coach, replacing Matt Langel, a source said. Killings was on Pat Chambers' staff at BU last season. He was Fran Dunphy's assistant director of basketball operations from 2006 to '09. *