Marquette announced the hiring Friday, a week after Marquette fired Steve Wojciechowski and Abilene Christian upset Smart’s Texas team 53-52 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Throughout the search, one individual continued to rise to the top, and that was Shaka,” Marquette athletic director Bill Scholl said Friday in a statement. “I am beyond excited for our current and future student-athletes who will have the great fortune of being mentored by Shaka. He is a great teacher of the game while also being a great molder of young men.”
Smart, who turns 44 on April 8, will be formally introduced at a Monday news conference.