Rick Malnati, who has spent the last two years on Porter Moser’s men’s basketball staff at Loyola University Chicago, has resigned from his post as assistant coach it was announced today. Malnati is leaving to take the head varsity boys basketball job at Fenwick High School.

"I am extremely happy for Rick to be able to once again be a head coach," Moser said. "Not only was he a valuable member of the staff, but he was also a good friend. Rick has the rare ability to impact people’s lives and I know he will do just that at Fenwick."

As an assistant coach in 2012-13, Malnati helped the Ramblers to an eight-game improvement in the win column and the program’s best conference finish since 2006-07. The Ramblers got off to a 10-3 start this season, their best since 2009-10, and guard Devon Turk established a Loyola single-season record for three-pointers made by a freshman (65).

Malnati spent the 2011-12 campaign as a special advisor to the head coach.

Prior to coming to Loyola, Malnati was a highly successful varsity coach at New Trier High School in Wilmette, Ill., where he led the Trevians’ program from 1996-2008. After leading New Trier to the 2000 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state quarterfinals, Malnati guided the Trevians to a fourth-place finish in Class AA in 2002. A super-sectional victory over a Proviso East High School team that featured future NBA guard Shannon Brown and University of Illinois standout Dee Brown, highlighted the magical run during the 2002 season.

Stay with HoopDirt for the latest college basketball coaching news and rumors.