Duane Simpkins named men’s basketball coach at American University

© Terrance Williams/For The Washington Post American University on Saturday announced George Mason assistant Duane Simpkins as its new coach. (Terrance Williams/The Washington Post)

The shake-up in the local college basketball coaching ranks continued Saturday when American University named George Mason assistant Duane Simpkins as its men’s basketball coach. Simpkins, a DeMatha Catholic High product, starred at the University of Maryland before a professional career largely played overseas.

“We are thrilled to welcome Duane Simpkins, a proven talent and respected coach into our AU Athletics family,” American Athletic Director Billy Walker said in a statement. “His passion for positively shaping the lives of young student-athletes was evident during the selection process. His close ties to the area as a coach and player, along with a tremendous recruiting acumen and unbending character, make him an ideal choice to lead our program.”

Simpkins spent the past eight years at George Mason, where the team finished with a 20-13 record this season. He previously served as an assistant at UNC Greensboro for three seasons.

Before his stop at the North Carolina school, Simpkins established himself as a well-respected figure in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia basketball scene.

He earned McDonald’s high school all-America honors at DeMatha and was All-ACC honorable mention three times while helping the Terrapins to three NCAA tournaments, including a pair of Sweet 16 appearances. A former Maryland captain, Simpkins still ranks eighth in school history in assists (483).

Simpkins’s professional playing career included stints in China, Italy and France. He later served as an assistant at Bishop O’Connell High before leading programs at Sidwell Friends School and St. Albans School.

At American, Simpkins replaces Mike Brennan, who led the team for 10 years but was fired last month after going 125-166.

Simpkins is the latest college basketball coaching hire in the area in recent weeks. Georgetown last month parted ways with women’s coach James Howard and tapped Ed Cooley to replace Patrick Ewing as coach of the men’s program. George Mason on Thursday announced Tony Skinn, a standout on its 2006 Final Four team, as the new coach of its men’s team.