Steve Wojciechowski is introduced as Marquette's new basketball coach at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. Credit: Gary Porter

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Duke associate head coach Steve Wojciechowski has been hired as Marquette's new basketball coach.

The school introduced Wojciechowski (pronounced wo-ju-HOW-skee) as Marquette's 17th coach in the school's 97-year history of men's basketball at a 2 p.m. news conference.

"I am honored to take the lead of this program and build it to amazing heights," he said. "It just felt right."

Wojciechowski replaces Buzz Williams, who resigned March 21 to become the head coach at Virginia Tech.

Wojciechowski has been with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski for 19 years, four as point guard and 15 as an assistant. He was part of two national titles at Duke and assisted Krzyzewski at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics.

"We were looking for someone who could take us to our vision of getting us to the top," interim athletics director Bill Cords said. "Steve has been to the top."

Marquette also considered Virginia Commonwealth coach Shaka Smart, former UCLA coach Ben Howland and Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin for the job.

Coach Wojo, as he is known to his players, said he had chances to leave Duke before but chose to stay until he found the perfect fit.

"The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind of emotions," he said. "But I kept coming back to the fact that just just felt right.

"Why (leave Duke) now? Because I think Marquette is the perfect place for me and my family. Like Duke, Marquette is basketball-first school. There are not of schools out there like that."

Much to the returning players' delight, Wojciechowski said he will feature aggressive defense to create offense and an offense that will get up and down the floor.

"That's how kids want to play," he said.

He also flashed a sense of humor.

"Coach K told me I could get better Polish food in MIlwaukee than Durham, North Carolina," he said.

And of his name, he said, "You won't be graded on spelling."

The hiring of Wojciechowski fits Marquette's general profile. Including Wojciechowski, four of Marquette's last five coaches have been assistant coaches, including three from high-profile schools: Kevin O'Neill from Arizona, Tom Crean from Michigan State and Wojciechowski from Duke. Williams was promoted from Marquette's staff after Crean went to Indiana.

After meeting with Marquette's players, Wojciechowski's first job will be to make sure the four incoming signees honor the scholarships they signed last November with Marquette while Williams was still the head coach.

Like Williams, Wojciechowski is expected to bring a high level of energy to a program that went 17-15 this season and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nine years.

"He's like a fireball of energy," said former Duke player Casey Sanders. "It's really hard to describe. He expects us to be alert and alive at all times, and he pumps it into everything we do."

Wojciechowski, known for slapping the floor from his defensive position as a player, exudes the same energy as a coach. He's also regarded as an excellent communicator.

For example, Krzyzewski gave his local radio show to Wojciechowski and allows him to do many halftime TV interviews. Such work prepped Wojciechowski for eventual time as a head coach.

Although Wojciechowski had been approached for jobs in the past, Marquette's was the first he pursued. While he might be among any of Krzyzewski's assistants who might pursue the Duke job when Krzyzewski retires, the 67-year-old Coach K recently announced he'll be at Duke for at least another five years.

At Duke, the 5-foot-11 Wojciechowski worked with big men until Jeff Capel, former Virginia Commonwealth and Oklahoma coach, returned to his alma mater as an assistant three years ago. Since then, Capel took over the big men and Wojciechowski was giving responsibility for developing Duke's guards.

Two of Krzyzewski's assistants experienced success in the current NCAA Tournament, Johnny Dawkins at Stanford and Tommy Amaker at Harvard.

"You are getting a great young coach," Dawkins said. "I'm absolutely confident he'll be successful. Marquette is going to love him."

Wojciechowski is the second Duke assistant to receive a major-college job in the last two years. Chris Collins just finished his first season at Northwestern.

Following a decorated career as a Duke point guard, Wojciechowski graduated in 1998 and spent time playing professional basketball in Poland before returning to Duke. In 1999 he was an intern in the Duke Management Company and a sideline analyst for the Duke Radio Network's coverage of the Blue Devil basketball program. He then joined Krzyzewski's staff.



In his last three years as a Duke player, Wojciechowski had major role in the resurgence of the basketball team. Afer the Blue Devils went 13-18 his freshman year, Wojciechowski helped lead the program to a 74-26 record over the next three seasons.