“I would like to thank Georgia State President Mark Becker along with Director of Athletics Charlie Cobbs for this incredible opportunity,” Lanier said in a statement. “This is a time of great transformation at Georgia State and I look forward to continuing to build on the reputation that our men’s basketball program has established nationally. I am excited to begin building relationships with the young men in this program.”

A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Lanier graduated from St. Bonaventure in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. A four-year letterman with the Bonnies who scored 868 career points, he was a three-year starter and team captain during his senior season. Lanier earned Atlantic 10 Conference All-Freshman Team honors in 1986-87 and was named the team's Most Improved Player in 1988-89. A two-time scholar-athlete nominee, he went on to earn a master's degree in educational counseling from Niagara in 1993. He is the cousin of Bob Lanier, enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after a 14-year NBA career.

Lanier and his wife, Dr. Dayo Lanier, have a son, Emory, and a daughter, Kai.

“We believe that under his leadership, our program will continue to rise as one of the premier programs in the country. He understands the core values we have at Georgia State and will help our student-athletes succeed both on the court and in the classroom.”

Georgia State will hold a press conference and reception on Tuesday at 11 a.m., in the University Club of Georgia State Stadium. The event will be open to the public.