Mizzou hires Dave Leitao as new assistant coach

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Missouri head basketball coach Frank Haith is turning to one of his old conference rivals to fill out his coaching staff. Haith has hired Dave Leitao as an assistant.

“What a great complement to the University of Missouri to bring in a coach the caliber of Dave Leitao to work with our student-athletes. Dave was a guy I really enjoyed competing against in the Atlantic Coast Conference because you knew his teams would play tough, physical and would really attack you every possession."

Leitao was the head coach at Virginia from 2005-09. He was the ACC Coach of the Year in 2007 after leading the Cavaliers to a 21-11 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Prior to Virginia, Leitao was the head coach at DePaul from 2002-05. He posted a 58-34 record in three seasons there including one trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The 52-year-old recently spent one season coaching the Maine Red Claws of the National Basketball Association's Developmental League.

“I really appreciate this opportunity to join Coach Haith’s staff here at Missouri and can’t imagine a better place to continue my coaching career than here at Mizzou. Missouri is a national program with tremendous success, incredible facilities, passionate fans and first class leadership of Mike Alden and Chancellor Brady Deaton. You see everything that has taken place on this campus over recent years and you can’t help but to be excited about the momentum we have going forward.”