Anthony Grant Position: Head Coach

Anthony Grant was formally introduced as the University of Alabama head men's basketball coach on March 29, 2009 after a three-year stint at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Grant, the head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University since 2006, led the Rams to a 24-10 record this past season and a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament before falling to UCLA in the final seconds, 65-64. The NCAA appearance was the second in Grant's three-year tenure at VCU and third straight postseason appearance. At VCU, he amassed a 76-25 (.752) record and a 45-9 (.833) mark in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) games.

Grant comes to UA after leading the Rams to their third-straight CAA regular-season championship and second CAA Tournament title under his watch. In his two NCAA Tournament appearances he has a 1-2 record with a 79-77 upset win over Duke in the 2007 tournament. That season saw Grant lead the Rams to a program best 28-7 record and CAA Coach of the Year honors.

A Miami, Fla., native, Grant is no stranger to the Southeastern Conference having served 10 years on the staff at Florida, five years (1996-2001) as an assistant coach and five years as associate head coach under Billy Donovan (2002-06). Grant helped lead the Gators to their first national title in 2006 and laid the groundwork for UF's 2007 national championship before departing for VCU.

While on the Florida staff, the Gators won the SEC Tournament in 2005 and 2006, captured three SEC Eastern Division titles (2000, 2001 and 2002) and earned back-to-back SEC Championships in 2000 and 2001. In 1999 and 2000, the program made its first back-to-back 'Sweet 16' appearances in school history and appeared in the national championship game in 2000. During Grant's time in Gainesville, the Gators advanced to the NCAA Tournament in eight straight seasons and compiled a 226-98 (.698) record.

Grant followed Donovan to Florida in 1996 after spending two seasons at Marshall (1994-96) as Donovan's top assistant. Prior to that, he spent one season as an assistant coach at Stetson (1993-94). Grant began his coaching career in the high school ranks in his hometown of Miami, Fla., where he won three state titles and was nationally ranked five times as an assistant at Miami Senior High School (1987-92) before serving one season as head coach at Miami Central High School (1992-93).

Noted as a strong recruiter, Grant recruited and coached nine McDonald's All-Americans and seven NBA first-round draft picks at Florida. Four of his last seven recruiting classes at UF were ranked in the top five nationally. At VCU his 2007 recruiting class was ranked as the fifth best in the mid-major ranks.

Prior to beginning his coaching career, Grant played his collegiate career at the University of Dayton (1983-87), guiding the Flyers to a 70-49 (.588) overall mark, a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, and one NIT berth. In his 105 appearances in a Flyer uniform, Grant registered 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and was named the team's Most Valuable Player as a senior.

Grant, whois the 19th men's head basketball coach in Alabama history, is married to the former Christina Harrell of Miami, Fla. They have three sons - Anthony, Preston and Makai - and one daughter, Jayda Danielle.

THE ANTHONY GRANT FILE