Chasse Conque's first head-coaching search as UALR's athletic director produced a list of five finalists made up largely of coaches with connections to Arkansas.
When it came time to choose the next coach for the men's basketball program, Conque went with the one finalist who has never coached in the state.
Chris Beard glance
PREVIOUSLY Head coach, Angelo State
HOMETOWN Irving, Texas
EDUCATION University of Texas-Austin (1995)
FAMILY Wife: Leslie. Children: Avery, Ella and Margo
COACHING EXPERIENCE Angelo State, head coach (2013-2015); McMurry, head coach (2012-2013); South Carolina Warriors, head coach (2011-2012); Texas Tech, assistant coach (2001-2011); Seminole (Okla.) State, head coach (2000-2001); Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College, head coach (1999-2000); North Texas, assistant coach (1997-1999); Abilene Christian, assistant coach (1996-1997); Incarnate Word, graduate assistant (1995-1996); Texas, student assistant (1991-1995).
YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD
YEAR;SCHOOL;RECORD;DIVISION
2014-2015;Angelo State;28-6;NCAA Division II
2013-2014;Angelo State;19-9;NCAA Division II
2012-2013;McMurry;19-10;NCAA Division II
2011-2012;South Carolina Warriors;29-2;ABA
2000-2001;Seminole (Okla.) State;25-6;NJCAA
1999-2000;Fort Scott (Kan.) CC;19-12;NJCAA
NOTE Beard was an assistant coach at Texas Tech (2001-2011), North Texas (1997-1999), Abilene Christian (1996-1997), a graduate assistant at Incarnate Word (1996-1996) and a student assistant at Texas (1991-1995).
UALR will introduce Angelo State Coach Chris Beard as its 21st men's basketball coach at a 9 a.m. news conference today at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.
The school did not identify the name of its new coach Tuesday in a release announcing today's news conference, but sources confirmed Beard's hiring to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Beard, who couldn't be reached Tuesday, takes over a program that has suffered through three losing seasons since last reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2011.
He was chosen over Mark Downey, an assistant coach at Bowling Green; Philip Pearson, an assistant coach at Georgia; Darrell Walker, a former NBA and WNBA head coach; and Joe Kleine, who was a UALR assistant for the past eight seasons.
Beard, who interviewed in Little Rock last week, is the only finalist who has never played at or coached at an Arkansas college. Walker and Kleine played for the University of Arkansas under Eddie Sutton in the 1980s. Downey led Arkansas Tech to a 77-43 record as head coach in 2006-2010, and Pearson was a graduate assistant at UALR under Wimp Sanderson in 1994-1995.
What Beard has is a 66-25 record in three seasons as a head coach at two NCAA Division II schools.
Conque, who took over as UALR's athletic director Jan. 20, noted last week when he released the names of the finalists the success Beard has had as a head coach.
"He's been a winner everywhere he's been at an extremely high level," Conque told the Democrat-Gazette last week. "Like the other candidates, he has a good pedigree. He's been a part of good programs."
Beard takes over for Steve Shields, UALR's all-time leader in victories who was fired in March with one year left on his contract after going 192-178 in 12 seasons. Shields led UALR to five Sun Belt Conference division titles and to the NCAA Tournament in 2011. But the Trojans finished 15-16, 17-15, 15-17 and 13-18 in the four seasons since that NCAA Tournament appearance and have gone 1-3 in the Sun Belt Tournament during that time.
Today's announcement will cap a quick ascent for Beard, who left Texas Tech in 2011 following 10 seasons as an assistant coach under Bobby Knight and Pat Knight.
Beard was the head coach for one season with the South Carolina Warriors of the American Basketball Association in 2011-2012 before compiling a 66-25 record in three seasons at two Division II schools. Beard was 19-10 at McMurry in 2012-2013 before heading to Angelo State, where he was 19-9 in 2013-2014 and 28-6 this season.
The Rams had a record-breaking season this year with a roster stocked with Division I transfers. Angelo State set school records for victories, points (2,860), field-goal percentage (52.8) and won a school-record 16 consecutive games and were ranked as high as No. 4 in NCAA Division II at one point. The Rams reached the Sweet 16 of the Division II Tournament, the furthest the program has ever advanced.
Beard, a 1995 graduate of the University of Texas, also has been the head coach at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College and Seminole (Okla.) State. He left Seminole State to join Bobby Knight's staff at Texas Tech in 2001. He spent his first 6 1/2 years at Texas Tech under Bobby Knight, which included five 20-victory seasons. The final 3 1/2 seasons were under Pat Knight.
Kleine expressed his appreciation for UALR in a Twitter post Tuesday morning.
"Want to say thanks to everyone who gave me their support in trying to get the UALR job. Very grateful for the players and coaches," Kleine wrote.
When contacted later by the Democrat-Gazette, Kleine said he would like to stay in coaching but stopped short of saying if he would be interested in a spot on Beard's staff.
"They deserve the right to make their decision," Kleine said. "They made their decision. I can't begrudge them for that. I just won't want to interfere. It's Chris Beard's time. ... I've got no animosity or anything like that. I don't want to rain on his parade."
Sports on 04/08/2015