GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 17: Head Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim of the Kennesaw State Owls gestures against the Xavier Musketeers during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at The Fieldhouse at Greensboro Coliseum on March 17, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

Amir Abdur-Rahim Hired as USF HC After Kennesaw State's NCAA Tournament Appearance

Paul KasabianMar 29, 2023

The University of South Florida announced that it has hired Amir Abdur-Rahim as its next men's basketball head coach.

The 42-year-old just led Kennesaw State to a stunning turnaround after the team won just one game during his first season leading the program (2019-20).

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The Owls went 26-9 and won the Atlantic Sun before making the Division I NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

The No. 14-seeded Owls nearly picked off No. 3 Xavier and even led by 13 points in the second half before falling 72-67 in the first round of the tournament.

Kennesaw State moved from Division II to Division I in 2005. The Owls never posted a winning season in D-I until Abdur-Rahim led them to one this year.

Abdur-Rahim takes over the program after it parted ways with Brian Gregory after six seasons. The Bulls have posted losing seasons in each of their last four campaigns, including a 14-18 record and 7-11 mark in American Athletic Conference play last year.