Pitt head basketball coach Jamie Dixon named former College of Charleston head coach Tom… Pitt head basketball coach Jamie Dixon named former College of Charleston head coach Tom Herrion as his new assistant yesterday, according to a release on pittsburghpanthers.com.

Herrion would fill the assistant spot left vacant by Mike Rice Jr., who was hired as the Robert Morris head coach last month after spending only one year at Pitt.

The 39-year-old Herrion led Charleston to an 80-38 record in four seasons as head coach, but was fired after the 2005-06 season because his electric attitude didn’t fit, according to a release from Pittsburgh Sports Report. Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski called Herrion “one of the most energetic coaches I’ve ever seen.”

“We are extremely excited about Tom becoming a member of the university community and I know he is ecstatic to be coming to Pittsburgh,” Dixon said on pittsburghpanthers.com. “We are extremely fortunate to have a coach with his background. He also has the experience of coaching in several different environments and as a Massachusetts native is familiar with the Big East region.”

Herrion is from Oxford, Mass., and before coaching at Charleston served as an assistant for four years at Providence and four years at Virginia, both for head coach Pete Gillen. Dixon said Herrion would help in scouting, recruiting and player development for Pitt.

According to PSR, Herrion wasn’t Dixon’s first choice. After Danny Hurley of St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey declined the job to stay with his family, Dixon offered Herrion. This is the second year in a row Hurley turned down the job.