Dave Leitao to DePaul: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Dave Leitao is back at DePaul. The former Blue Demons coach, who led the program from 2005 to 2009, agreed to return to his post Sunday evening.

Athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto announced the hiring in a statement:

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Following our search that garnered high-level national interest, we are excited to announce that Dave Leitao is our next men's basketball coach. His success here speaks for itself with three postseason appearances in three years with teams that energized our alumni and fans with their competitiveness and work ethic. When he left in 2005, we recognized that it is the nature of our business that dynamic coaches get recruited away. Now we are pleased to welcome Dave, his wife Joyce and their family back to Lincoln Park with great enthusiasm for his leadership and the future development of our men's basketball program.

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Leitao, 54, will take over for former coach Oliver Purnell. Purnell resigned following the 2014-15 season, ending his five-year tenure with a 54-105 record. DePaul did not have a winning record under Purnell and hasn't gone above .500 since 2006-07.

Leitao, at the very least, proved he's able to do that at the Chicago-based school. The Blue Demons went 58-34 during his tenure and made three postseason berths. His 2003-04 outfit remains the last time the program went to the NCAA tournament.

"This is a special day for my family and me," Leitao said in a statement. "I underestimated what a special place DePaul University and the city of Chicago are when I left here in 2005. The dedication and support here to the growth of student success is second to none, not only for a basketball program but also for the entire student body."

Leitao left the program to take the Virginia job after the 2004-05 season, lasting four years. He went 63-60 overall and was fired following a 10-18 season in 2008-09. Since leaving Charlottesville, Leitao has been an assistant at Missouri and Tulsa and the head coach of the NBA D-League's Maine Red Claws.

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