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Sean Miller is the new head coach at Xavier, according to reports.

 Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star 2016

Sean Miller is back in coaching. And at one of his favorite places, no less.

Miller has has been named the new head coach at Xavier. He initially coached at the Cincinnati school from 2004-09, advancing to the Sweet 16 in his final season before he was hired by Arizona as Lute Olson’s permanent replacement. Miller was also a Musketeers assistant from 2001-04.

According to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, Miller chose returning to Xavier over a β€œstanding offer” from South Carolina, which fired coach Frank Martin last week. The 53-year-old Miller replaces Travis Steele, who was fired earlier this week.

Miller said in a news release that he and his wife Amy β€œare humbled to be returning to Xavier.” He went 120-47 in his first stint at the school.

β€œXavier and the Big East Conference both hold special places in my heart,” he said. β€œI enjoyed my experience competing at the highest level in the Big East as a player and have always dreamed of being a head coach in the best basketball league in the country. Xavier has always done things the right way. This is an incredible opportunity for us to build on Xavier’s successful tradition and take the program to new heights.”

Miller has long been complimentary of Xavier, the school that gave him his first head coaching job. In a Feb. 16 appearance on β€œThe Aaron Torres Sports Podcast,” Miller said he was β€œincredibly fortunate” to be associated with the Jesuit school.

β€œThere aren’t 20 places in America that support their basketball program better than Xavier University,” he said. β€œIt’s always been in place. That’s why seemingly every coach who coaches there is successful.”

Miller coached at Arizona from 2009-21. On the court, he won five Pac-12 championships and took the Wildcats to three NCAA Tournament Elite Eights over his tenure, the last in 2015. The Wildcats also would have likely made the 2020 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments, but the 2020 event was canceled, and the school self-imposed a postseason ban for ’21 because of its ongoing NCAA infractions case.

The NCAA has hit the UA with five Level I infractions, one of which says Miller failed to monitor two assistant coaches accused of academic misconduct and improper recruiting inducements. The Notices of Allegations filed by the NCAA and the Complex Case Unit of the Independent Accountability Resolution Process did not recommend a show-cause penalty for Miller; any show-cause would have prohibited Miller from coaching in college.

It’s unclear how Xavier plans to address the allegations β€” and potential penalties β€” facing Miller. Miller said in Xavier’s news release that he plans to address the situation soon.

β€œI will have more to say at my introductory press conference about what I’ve been through the last few years to get to this point and my plan going forward,” he said.

Xavier athletic director Greg Christopher said Miller β€œwill bring a high level of energy and excitement to our program and he will do it the right way.”

Arizona received its initial Notice of Allegations from the NCAA in October 2020 and requested its case be moved off the standard NCAA resolutions track and into the IARP, a mostly independent group of attorneys and investigators.

The IARP accepted Arizona’s case in December 2020 at the UA’s request and, after its CCU reinvestigated the findings, returned the same Level I charges against Arizona. The case is still pending.

Miller continued to live in Tucson after his dismissal. Without a team to coach, Miller became a frequent presence on β€œField of 68” podcasts and YouTube shows.

Miller often appeared alongside his brother, Archie, who spent the year idle in Tucson after being fired by Indiana. Archie Miller was named coach of Rhode Island on Friday.

Arizona’s Dalen Terry and Azuolas Tubelis, who were recruited by and played for Miller in his final season at UA, spoke highly of their former coach’s new opportunity during Saturday’s NCAA Tournament media availability in San Diego.

β€œThat’s great for him. We’re all proud of him,” Terry said. β€œHe was proud of us everything we did this year.”

The Arizona sophomore noted that he’s talked with Miller several times throughout this season and is glad Miller is back coaching after a year off.

β€œHe’s going to be smiling. I’m happy to see him happy again,” Terry said.

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who was hired to replace Miller in April this year, said he’s β€œhappy” to see Miller land a job back coaching in the college ranks.

β€œThat’s a great job, he’s a great coach,” Lloyd said. β€œAnd obviously it’s a place he’s comfortable with.”

Lloyd and Miller met several occasions during the offseason with Miller still living in Tucson and Lloyd still getting his bearings in Tucson.

β€œI wish him nothing but the best, and I look forward to catching up with him when the dust settles for both of us,” Lloyd said.

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