Virginia Tech officially hires DeMatha’s Mike Jones

The Virginia Tech Hokies officially hired former DeMatha Catholic (Md.) head basketball coach Mike Jones on Monday to replace Chester Frazier on head coach Mike Young’s staff.

Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports originally reported the mutual interest late last week and said a deal was close between the two parties.

For his part, Jones refuted the reports on social media on Sunday. Jones likely knew he was leaving, but he wanted to tell his own players, which is the right thing to do.

Jones will be Young’s top assistant with the title of associate head coach.

Jones leaves DeMatha after 19 years with a record 511-119. When Jones took the DeMatha job, he was replacing the legendary Morgan Wootten and succeeded almost immediately.

Young released a statement on Jones’ hiring, via hokiesports.com:

Virginia Tech is first and foremost getting a great person who not only fits our program, but embodies what our University is about. Mike Jones is a tremendous basketball coach, who brings a wealth of success from DeMatha and USA Basketball. I have had the privilege of watching Mike over the years and have continually been impressed with his ability to teach the game of basketball and mentor players. We are excited to add him to our family and look forward to continuing on what we have built over the past two seasons.

Jones also released a statement:

I am extremely excited to be joining Coach Young, his staff and Hokie Nation. This is a tremendous opportunity to learn from a great coach in Coach Young and to provide our student-athletes with a passionate coach who is fired up about joining the Virginia Tech community and ready to continue the upward trajectory of our men’s basketball program. I’m very honored to have received such a warm welcome through texts, calls and social media from many who don’t even know me. I can already tell this place is special.

This is just a great hire for Mike Young and the Virginia Tech basketball program. Young didn’t panic when he lost an excellent young coach in Frazier and went out and surprised everyone by bringing in Jones.

Welcome to Blacksburg, Coach Jones.