George Mason eventual superstar Tony Skeen was hired as hoops coach

FAIRFAX, Virginia — Tony Skeen, who helped lead 11th seed George Mason to the Final Four as a player in 2006, was hired Thursday as the school’s men’s basketball coach.

Skene replaces Kim English, who left George Mason in Providence after Ed Cooley left Providence for Georgetown.

“Tony Skeen is the right man for this moment in Mason’s basketball program,” university president Gregory Washington said in a statement. “His coaching style will motivate our student-athletes, and his connection to our finest hours on the field is sure to appeal to our alumni and fans.”

Skene was a starting point guard for the Patriots 17 years ago when they pulled off a string of upset wins — including against UConn in the regional final in Washington, about 20 miles from campus — to reach the semifinals in the NCAA tournament.

George Mason’s coach at the time, Jim Larrañaga, is now in Miami and has the Hurricanes in this year’s Final Four.

Skene was most recently an assistant coach at Maryland. He has also worked at Ohio State, Seton Hall and Louisiana Tech.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be back on campus,” said Skeen. “I’ve had some of my greatest memories here and I’m looking forward to making new ones with our fans and community.”