Fred Hill has been named head men’s basketball coach at Rutgers University, Director of Athletics Robert E. Mulcahy announced today.

Hill, 47, served as Associate Head Coach for the Scarlet Knights in the 2005-06 season. Prior to his arrival at Rutgers in April, 2005, Hill spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at Villanova University, his final two seasons serving as associate head coach. During his stint at Villanova, Hill played a major part in the recruitment of Villanova’s highly-acclaimed recruiting classes of 2002 and 2003 while also playing a key role in on-court teaching and in-game strategy. Villanova reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2004-05 and reached the Elite Eight of the 2006 NCAA Tournament this season.

“Growing up in New Jersey, becoming the head coach of Rutgers University has always been a dream of mine,” said Hill. “It is an honor and a privilege to be afforded this opportunity and I will work incredibly hard to make this a program that will make us all proud.”

Hill served three seasons (1998-2001) as an assistant coach at Seton Hall University, where he was part of the staff that helped steer the Pirates to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2000 and secure the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation that year. Hill has consistently been ranked as one of the top assistant coaches in the nation by several publications in recent years.

“Today is an exciting day for Rutgers University and its basketball program,” Mulcahy said. “By naming Fred Hill head coach, we feel we have positioned our program for unparalleled success in what is the nation’s premier basketball conference. Fred brings outstanding credentials to this position. I know he will be tireless in his efforts to bring our program to the heights that an institution the stature of Rutgers deserves.”

Prior to his stint at Seton Hall, Hill served seven years as an assistant coach at Fairleigh Dickinson University, including his final three seasons as associate head coach. In Hill’s final three seasons at FDU, the Knights were 23-7 and captured the Northeast Conference title.

A New Jersey native who attended Verona High School, Hill is a 1977 graduate of Verona High School and a 1981 graduate of Montclair State College, where he was an All-Conference guard as a senior on a team that reached the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Hill has also served as an assistant coach at the University of Maine (1988-91), Marquette University (1986-88), Rider College (1983-86) and Lehigh University (1982-83). His first college coaching position was at Montclair State (1981-82).

Coaching is in Hill’s bloodlines as his father, Fred Hill Sr., is the long-time, highly-successful head baseball coach at Rutgers. In addition, his uncle, Brian Hill, is the head coach of the NBA’s Orlando Magic.