Kareem Richardson has been named the next head men’s basketball coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Director of Athletics Tim Hall announced Tuesday.
Richardson is a 16-year collegiate coaching veteran and currently an assistant coach at the University of Louisville, under legendary coach Rick Pitino. He has helped the Cardinals to the Big East tournament crown and the NCAA Tournament No. 1 overall seed this season. Richardson also spent a season at UMKC in 2007-08 as an assistant. He has played and coached in the region, and has helped bring in well-ranked recruiting classes at every school during his coaching career.
"I would like to welcome Kareem back to Kansas City," Hall said. "He has strong relationships with high school and AAU coaches here and throughout the Midwest. He brings a high basketball pedigree in the areas of recruiting, on-the-floor coaching, strategy and preparation, and service to young men. Kareem is an educator, and knows what it takes to be successful in the mid-major ranks."
Richardson will be formally introduced in a press conference on the UMKC campus on Monday, March 25. Time and exact location will be released later.
"It is an honor and privilege to be named the next head coach at UMKC. Being at the University of Louisville and working under future Hall of Famer Coach Pitino, it had to take a special situation for me to leave, but I know the vision that Leo Morton and Tim Hall have for the program makes UMKC a special situation," Richardson said. "It is extremely exciting to have the opportunity to lead the UMKC men’s basketball program and to be back in the wonderful city of Kansas City."
He will remain on the sidelines with Louisville until the completion of its season.
"Our goal is to win the attention, and the hearts, of Kansas City sports fans," said UMKC Chancellor Leo Morton. "Kansas City is the best college basketball town in the country, and UMKC is Kansas City’s university. We believe Kareem Richardson can lead a program that will connect with the sports fans of Kansas City."
Prior to his year at Louisville, Richardson made the most of one season at Xavier, helping the Musketeers reach the NCAA Sweet 16 and the finals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament that season while posting a 23-12 record. He helped the Musketeers land a Top 20 recruiting class in 2011.
Richardson, 38, had joined Xavier from Drake University, where he had been the head assistant coach for three seasons. He has also served on the basketball staffs at Evansville, Indiana State, Wright State and Indianapolis.
Richardson has been ranked as one of the top assistants in college basketball according to the basketball website Collegeinsider.com. He earned a reputation as a top-level recruiter during his time at Drake, serving as recruiting coordinator and helping head coach Mark Phelps secure the top-rated recruited class in the Missouri Valley Conference in two of his three years there. In his first year as assistant coach at Drake, Richardson helped lead the Bulldogs to post-season play during the 2008-09 season, in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
Prior to Drake, Richardson was the top assistant with the UMKC men’s basketball program for the 2007-08 season. Richardson served as an assistant coach at his alma mater Evansville from 2003-07, one season (2002-03) at Wright State, as well as a stint at Indiana State (1999-2002). Richardson’s coaching career began at the University of Indianapolis from 1997-99.
Richardson helped Indiana State enjoy success. In 2000, he guided the Sycamores to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the Larry Bird era in the late 1970s. A year later in 2001, Indiana State topped No. 4 seed Oklahoma, advancing to the second round of the NCAAs.
As a player, Richardson played in an NCAA Tournament as a freshman at East Carolina University. He then transferred to Evansville in 1995 and quickly established himself as the Purple Aces’ top point guard. Richardson, who was a team captain two years, was selected to the Missouri Valley Conference all-academic team in both 1996 and 1997. In 1996, he received notoriety on the MVC all-underrated team. He was a first team all-state selection at Rantoul (Ill.) Township High School in 1992 and was twice named conference player of the year.
Richardson, who was born in Tacoma, Wash., graduated from Evansville with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunication and interpersonal communication in 1997 and received his MBA from the University of Indianapolis in 1999.
