BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Samford has hired Indiana assistant and Birmingham native Bennie Seltzer as its new head men's basketball coach, The Birmingham News has learned.

Seltzer, who will become the first African-American to hold that position at Samford, will be introduced at a press conference on campus Thursday morning.

This will be his first head coaching job. Seltzer spent the last six years working for Tom Crean, for two years at Marquette and the last four seasons at Indiana. Before that, he spent nine years as an assistant at Oklahoma.

Seltzer played at Parker High School in Birmingham before playing his college ball at Washington State.

Seltzer replaces Jimmy Tillette, Samford's all-time winningest coach, who was fired March 13 by new Athletics Director Martin Newton.

Check back for updates on al.com.