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Coppin State has hired Juan Dixon to be their new men’s basketball head coach, according to a report by Don Markus of the Baltimore Sun.
The report was also confirmed by NBC Sports’ Terrence Payne.
Report: Coppin State hires Juan Dixon as new head coach https://t.co/o8AoG3VHXP #Terps pic.twitter.com/ClfFQV8QDc
— Terrence Payne (@terrence_payne) April 22, 2017
The position will be Dixon’s first head coaching job at the Division I level. Dixon most recently served as an assistant on Mark Turgeon’s staff at Maryland from 2013-2015, and then was the women’s head coach at the University of the District of Columbia (Division II).
Dixon famously led the Maryland Terrapins to the National championship in 2002, and spent seven seasons in the NBA on various teams.
As a Baltimore native, the hiring of Dixon should generate some excitement for a program that desperately needs it. The Eagles haven’t had a winning record since the 2010-11 season, and have failed to crack double-digit wins in each of the last three seasons. However, Dixon’s first experience as a head coach will come with the daunting task of trying to rebuild a program that has traditionally struggled.