George Washington University named Maurice Joseph as head coach of the men’s basketball on Monday, after a season in which Mr. Joseph led the team to 20 wins as interim head coach.
“I am honored and grateful for the faith that Patrick Nero and the university have placed in me to continue to lead this program onward,” Mr. Joseph said. “There is a proud tradition at GW driven by decades of successful student-athletes both on and off the court, and it is a privilege to be tasked with the responsibility of mentoring our team moving forward.”
Mr. Joseph signed a five-year deal to coach the Colonials. He served at the helm of a program that qualified for postseason play in the 2016-2017 season with a roster that included eight newcomers. Next season, GW returns six of its top eight scorers.
Director of Athletics and Recreation Patrick Nero said that Mr. Joseph "has demonstrated that he is the right individual to lead our men’s basketball program.
“Our student-athletes respond well to his energy, passion and vision,” Mr. Nero said. “I want to congratulate Maurice on this hard-earned opportunity. We’re confident that he will continue to recruit and retain the next generation of men’s basketball student-athletes and help their talents shine.”
Mr. Joseph engineered a 10-8 record in the Atlantic 10 Conference this season that included five consecutive wins to finish the regular season.
After being picked to finish eighth by conference coaches, the Colonials finished sixth in 2016-17 with a win over regular season champion Dayton in the regular season finale.
An elite shooter in his playing days at Michigan State and Vermont, Mr. Joseph was instrumental in the Colonials being the most accurate three-point shooting team in the Atlantic 10 this season. He had a decorated prep career at Champlain-St. Lambert in Montreal, where as a senior in 2005 he was named Canada's National Player of the Year. Mr. Joseph played professionally in Israel with Hapoel Afula, before dedicating himself to the coaching profession, where his international roots and playing experience have been vital in attracting top talent from the around the world to GW.
Upon his arrival at GW, where he met his wife, Kristen, Mr. Joseph earned a master’s degree in education and human development.
