Boston College Basketball: URI's Preston Murphy Joining Jim Christian's Staff

According to multiple reports, Boston College basketball coach Jim Christian is set to hire current Rhode Island assistant Preston Murphy as the program's third assistant coach. Murphy returns to the Heights after serving for four years as the Rams' assistant head coach.

Murphy was brought onto the Rams coaching staff by former coach Jim Baron in 2010. When Dan Hurley took over in Kingston, he retained the coaching services of Murphy. Just two weeks ago, Murphy was even promoted to Associate Head Coach under Hurley. Apparently that promotion won't be enough to keep Murphy at his alma mater as the URI assistant will reportedly receive a sizable raise to make the short trek up I-95.

Prior to coaching at URI, Murphy was Boston College's Director of Basketball Operations during Skinner's final four years on the Heights. During Murphy's time at BC, the Eagles made two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007 and 2009 and won more ACC games than any program NOT named Duke or North Carolina.

The Saginaw, Michigan native was a four-year letterwinner at Rhode Island (1995-99), recruited to Kingston by his former employer and coach -- Al Skinner. Murphy was part of one of the most successful four-year classes at Rhode Island, thrice reaching the NCAA Tournament (including reaching the Elite Eight) while playing alongside Ram greats Lamar Odom and Cutino Mobley.

Murphy's pro career included three years overseas -- one in Belgium (1999-2000) and two in the Netherlands (2000-02) before returning to New England to coach the Woonsocket (RI) High School men's basketball team.

This is a solid addition to Christian's staff on a number of fronts. Murphy has a reputation as a solid recruiter in the Northeast. The Murphy hire, along with the Scott Spinelli pickup, helps to address one of the more glaring weaknesses on Jim Christian's resume. He also helped Rhode Island open up a recruiting pipeline in his native Michigan, with three current players on the Rams roster hailing from the Great Lakes State.

Murphy is also quite familiar with BC during his time as a player and as the program's director of basketball operations for four years. The addition of Murphy to the staff is also a nice link back to the Skinner era of BC basketball and a (much) more successful four-year program run. Plus, and for what it's worth, URI fans are not at all happy about losing P-Murph. Early indications point to Murphy being a shrewd addition to the Eagles coaching staff.

Welcome (back) to the Heights, Coach Murphy!