Rick Stansbury is returning to Kentucky to coach basketball. The Meade County native was introduced Monday afternoon as the next men’s basketball coach at Western Kentucky University.
During a news conference, Stansbury said he did not have to be sold on WKU.
“There is so much tradition,” Stansbury said. “I understood that. I know what this place is about. Not where it’s at, but where we’re going to go with it. And again, it’s going to take every one of us. It’s not about me. It’s about all of us in here. And that first game we show up to this year, we want that arena packed just like this. And we’re going to put a team on that floor that y’all are going to be proud of.”
Stansbury comes from Texas A&M where he served as an assistant coach. Before that, he spent 14 seasons as Mississippi State’s head coach.
Under a four-year contract, Stansbury will be paid a base salary of $500,000 annually.
He takes over for Ray Harper who resigned this month following the suspension of three players. Stansbury said the three would not be returning to the team.
