By Ryan Bisesi and Chris Lea, WRAL

Buies Creek, N.C. — John Andrzejek is bringing a championship pedigree and a small-town sensibility to Buies Creek.

The new Campbell basketball coach was less than 48 hours removed from helping Florida win its third national championship when he was introduced as the leader of the Camels’ program on Wednesday.

Flights from San Antonio to Florida to Raleigh-Durham and a drive into Harnett County was good for the soul and gave Andrzejek time to reflect on recent successes. He brought a thread of the championship game net cut from the rim at the Alamodome to the announcement as a token of appreciation for what’s happened and inspiration for the work ahead.

“I came here to bring this program back to the NCAA Tournament,” said Andrzejek, an assistant at UF for two seasons. “I know it won’t be easy and I know it won’t happen at all once.”

At Campbell, he’s tasked with leading the Camels back to respectability. It’s a less glamorous order, but one the Hamilton, New York, native embraces as he gets comfortable with a different shade of orange. Campbell hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 1992 and have won 20 games twice in 48 seasons as a program.

He’s been everywhere, from the Ivy League to the west coast to the Sunshine State. Andrzejek, was officially named coach on March 20, but got the formal treatment at Pope Convocation Center Wednesday as the sixth head coach in program history. Andrzejek was also an assistant at Washington State, Dartmouth and Johns Hopkins.

“I’m excited to live here, not in a Raleigh suburb, but right here in Harnett County,” he said. “I grew up in a small, rural, upstate New York town. I grew up baling hay. I would come home and play with the neighbors’ kids after school. I love this place. This is home for me.”

Andrzejek was credited with being a big part of the Gators’ defensive success this season. Florida had the sixth-best defensive play in the country, according to Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings.

“On the court, we will be a hard-working, blue collar team,” he said. “We will build a program that reflects the values of the people of Harnett County.”

Andrzejek’s academic credentials are impressive, having graduated from Columbia in two-and-half-years with a degree in philosophy. He graduated in 2013 and became the program’s director of basketball operations in 2014. Andrzejek was named to ESPN’s 40 Under 40 list of best young coaches in 2020.

The Camels are entering their third season in the Colonial Athletic Association. They are 18-18 in conference play in two seasons.

Departing coach Kevin McGeehan went 184-199 in 12 seasons, the highlight of which came in 2018-2019 when he won Big South Coach of the Year in guiding the Camels to a regular season conference championship. McGeehan was let go on March 9.

Source: wralsportsfan.com