NORFOLK — Old Dominion is turning to its past to straighten out its future.
Mike Jones, a former ODU guard who has coached as an assistant most recently at Maryland, will be named the Monarchs’ next men’s basketball coach, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed Thursday.
Jones, who starred at ODU from 1991 to 1995, replaces Jeff Jones, who retired this week after a 41-year career.
The school announced Thursday afternoon that it will hold a news conference at 10:45 a.m. Friday to introduce its new men’s basketball head coach.
Mike Jones was an associate head coach at Virginia Tech from 2021 to 2023 before accepting a job as an assistant at Maryland. From 2002 to 2021, Jones led Maryland’s storied DeMatha Catholic High to a 511-119 (.811) record as its coach after taking over from the legendary Morgan Wooten. Nine of Jones’ DeMatha players went on to the NBA, according to the University of Maryland’s website.
Additionally, Jones worked with USA Basketball from 2004 to 2021.
Jones will become just the Monarchs’ third coach since Blaine Taylor was hired before the 2001-02 season. Jeff Jones guided the program for 11 seasons before leaving the team in December to address health issues.
ODU is 7-23 overall and 3-14 in the Sun Belt Conference this season. The Monarchs will finish with their worst record since going 5-25 in 2012-13.
Mike Jones was a member of the All-Colonial Athletic Association second team and earned CAA All-Tournament team honors as a senior, averaging 16.5 points per game. Jones led the Monarchs to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1992 and 1995, and he finished his ODU career with 1,166 points.
Jones scored 19 points in the 14th-seeded Monarchs’ 89-81 triple overtime win over No. 3 Villanova in the 1995 NCAA Tournament, considered one of the event’s greatest upsets.
He played professionally in the CBA and International Basketball Association, where he was all-league first team in 1997. He also played professionally in Portugal, Hong Kong, Finland and the Dominican Republic.