Northern Kentucky Nordic Head Coach John Brannen is the choice of Cincinnati Bearcats to replace Mick Cronin and fill the vacant UC Head Coach position.

UC confirmed the rental shortly after 3 pm Sunday. Athletics director Mike Bohn has briefed UC players. About 20 minutes later, NKU announced that it was embarking on a national search for Brannen's replacement.

"We are delighted to welcome John, his wife Lisa and their daughters, Jaylee and Katelyn, into the Bearcats family," Bohn said in a statement. "He has a proven track record as a head coach, has a long-standing relationship with the local community and a passionate style of basketball, and we have been impressed by his passion, drive, determination and his keen sense of basketball during the course of the interview process to lead the Cincinnati basketball program with a bright future. "

The UC will hold a press conference Monday at 10 am for the official announcement.

Neither Brannen nor Bohn responded to the calls on Sunday before the news. Bohn directed the search.

"It's truly an honor to take on such a prestigious program at the University of Cincinnati," said Brannen. "The Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky community is special for my family and we are happy to stay here, and I want to thank President Pinto, Mike Bohn and the Recruitment Committee for this opportunity, and we are excited to be joining a world-class university. and continue to build on the historic success of Bearcats basketball and the incredible lineage of former coaches. "

The word of the lease spread to UC.

"I'm trying to bring basketball alumni together," said Terry Nelson, a UC radio analyst and former player, at The Enquirer. "We want to get behind the new coach, we thought all the time it would be John."

Brannen, 45, a native of Alexandria and a graduate of the Newport Central Catholic Center, has been NKU's head coach since 2015. In just four seasons, Brannen has helped the Nordics to break a record from 9-21 in his first year at 26-9 this year. season, in addition to two appearances at the NCAA Tournament and an appearance at NIT.

Northern Kentucky Nordic Head Coach John Brannen smiles as he evokes the success of his team at a press conference before a training session at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa Thursday, March 21, 2019. NKU will face Texas Tech on Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Norse have made their second tournament appearance in three years since becoming a Division 1 team. (Photo: Sam Greene)

The Nordiques have been twice champions of the Horizon League tournament (2017-2019) and two-time champions of the regular season Horizon League (2018, 2019) under Brannen – in a remarkably short period since their transition from the Div. II to div. I.

There was speculation before Cronin even leaves UC to become the new UCLA head coach Brannen could be a candidate for the Bearcats when Cronin took another job. And it did not take long after UCLA introduced Cronin for UC to replace it with Brannen.

Brannen had been approved by Twitter, Cronin's brother, on Twitter, while Mick had lobbied for Associate Head Coach Darren Savino – who should now be on Mick's staff with the Bruins – to be considered for a promotion. Other coaches have also expressed their support for Savino.

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Former Bearcats star Nick Van Exel is reported to have expressed interest in the UC position. The former Bearcats player, John Meeker, said that former UC coach Andy Kennedy deserved to be taken into account.

Former Bearcats assistant and current South Carolina head coach Frank Martin appeared as a key target, according to Stadium's Jeff Goodman, but Goodman announced the next day that Martin had not decided to meet with UC.

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NKU head coach John Brannen concludes the first-round loss to the NCAA tournament against Texas Tech.
Sam Greene, [email protected]