Frank Haith looks at coming to Missouri as a challenge. Not in trying to win over the sceptical fans, but in a positive way that he has the resources to build a winning program. Haith was introduced to Mizzou fans this morning at a press conference inside Mizzou Arena.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga0XVjR3OwI

Haith spent seven seasons at the University of Miami overall, where he leaves the program as the winningest postseason coach in school history. Haith led the Hurricanes to the 2008 NCAA Tournament and he owns three of the school’s six 20-win seasons since the restart of the program.

Listen to the Frank Haith press conference

The 46-year old led Miami to one of the most successful seasons in school history in 2007-08. One year removed from a 12-20 season, Haith’s crew won 23 games and qualified for NCAA Tournament play. The Hurricanes topped Saint Mary’s, 78-64, in the first round and narrowly missed an upset of #2-seeded Texas in the second round in Little Rock, Ark. The 23 wins by the club was just one shy of the school record. In fact that 23-win season started an impressive run for Haith. Over his last four years Miami has averaged 21 victories per season, with three 20-win efforts. That proved to be quite an impressive accomplishment for UM. Haith took over a program that had suffered through back-to-back losing seasons and failed to even make the BIG EAST Tournament in 2003-04, the season prior to his arrival. To top it off, Miami was heading into the tradition-rich ACC the following season and Haith was the perfect coach to direct the transition. He helped Miami to back-to-back postseason appearances and after a reloading year in 2006-07, the Hurricanes enjoyed that historic 2007-08 campaign.

Most recently Haith and the Hurricanes advanced to postseason play in 2011 with a second round berth in the National Invitation Tournament. The Hurricanes topped Missouri State in the opening round before falling to NIT runner-up, Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Prior to his time in Miami, Haith was a well-versed assistant coach, serving several seasons in the Big 12 Conference at both Texas and Texas A&M. He was the associate head coach for Rick Barnes in 2003-04 and spent three total years on the UT staff from 2001-04. A huge reason for Haith’s success on the sideline has been his ability to recruit and mentor top-flight talent. He has recruited six McDonald’s All-Americans in his 16 seasons as an assistant coach, starting with Rodney Rodgers in 1990 to Wake Forest. He also signed Jerald Brown at Texas A&M (1995) and helped Barnes and his staff sign four high school All-Americans at Texas: Brad Buckman (2002), LaMarcus Aldridge (2004), Daniel Gibson (2004) and Michael Williams (2004). That 2004 class was ranked #2 nationally by Rivals.com and all four players in that UT class were ranked among the Top 50.

During his three seasons at UT the Longhorns won 73 games, advancing to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including the 2002 and 2004 Sweet 16 and 2003 Final Four. He was also named the 2004 National Recruiter of the Year by Rivals.com, a key distinction with Missouri having as many as nine scholarships available over the next two seasons.