George Washington University has hired Jamion Christian to be the Colonials’ next men’s basketball coach.
Christian returns to the Washington area after one year coaching Siena in upstate New York. He spent seven years before that as coach of his alma mater, Mount St. Mary’s, in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Christian replaces Maurice Joseph, who was fired last week after three seasons.
“I am honored to be able to return home to take a job I have dreamed of having since I was a child,” Christian said, according to a university press release. “I’d like to thank President Thomas LeBlanc for this incredible opportunity. It was a difficult decision to leave Siena because I absolutely loved the people, but there were only a few jobs that could take me away, and I can’t wait to get to work in Foggy Bottom.”
The Colonials look to turn around a program that finished 12th in the Atlantic 10 Conference this season with a 9-24 overall record. They haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2014, which was their only appearance of the decade.
“We aspire to become a perennial contender in the Atlantic 10 Conference and to do so, we need a leader with relentless optimism, positivity and basketball acumen,” athletic director Tanya Vogel said in a press release. “We have found that in Jamion Christian. His passion for teaching and his endless energy to get the absolute best out of each individual in his program is infectious. I am confident in Coach Christian’s ability to build a sustainable program that is in the national conversation again soon.”
Christian, 36, played Division I basketball at Mount St. Mary’s and also served as an assistant coach at Bucknell, William & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth. He is a native of Quinton, Virginia, near Richmond.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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