Georgia Tech great Mark Price has accepted the head coaching job at UNC Charlotte, according to a Wednesday report in the Charlotte Observer. Price has been an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets for the past two seasons.
It will be Price’s first job at the college level since he was an assistant to then-Tech coach Bobby Cremins in the 1999-2000 season. Price, one of six Tech players to have his jersey retired, has been in the NBA since 2007. Price interviewed for the Tech opening in March 2011 that ultimately went to Brian Gregory. He has had two head-coaching jobs, one at Whitefield Academy (2000-01) and another short-lived stint with a professional team in Australia in 1996.
Price will inherit a team that was 75-81 the past five seasons under the leadership of coach Alan Major. He and the school had a mutual parting March 15. Major took two medical leaves of absence in the past year.
The 49ers, who play out of Conference USA, were 14-18 this past season, including a last-second loss to Georgia Tech Dec. 30 at McCamish Pavilion. The game completed a home-and-home series between the two schools.
Charlotte has been to the NCAA tournament 11 times, including eight trips between 1995 and 2005.
