Troy Expected to Hire Former MSU Assistant Cunningham as Head Coach

TROY, Ala. (WCBI/CBS Sports) — Troy will introduce Western Kentucky assistant Phil Cunningham at a news conference on Tuesday.

(HailState.com)
Former Rick Stansbury Assistant Phil Cunningham is expected to be named the new head coach at Troy University on Tuesday.

Multiple sources told CBSSports.com that Cunningham, who has spent last season with the Hilltoppers after working for Rick Stansbury for a dozen years at Mississippi State, has been chosen over N.C. State assistant Bobby Lutz.

Cunningham replaces Don Maestri, who retired after 31 seasons and more than 500 wins. The Trojans were 12-21 overall this past season and 6-14 in the Sun Belt.

Cunningham recruited Jarvis Varnado, Jamont Gordon, Arnett Moultrie and also Monta Ellis, who wound up going directly to the NBA out of high school. He has also been on seven NCAA tournament teams in his time at Mississippi State and Western Kentucky.

The connection with Cunningham and Troy State is that he and athletic director John Hartwell worked together at Georgia State — where Cunningham was an assistant under Lefty Driesell.