Columbia is bringing back Florida assistant Kevin Hovde as its new head basketball coach.

He will continue with the Gators, who are in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, until the end of their season.

Hovde was an assistant coach at the Ivy League program for five seasons from 2012-16, including two seasons alongside current Gators head coach Todd Golden.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kevin Hovde back to the Columbia family,” athletic director Peter Pilling said in a news release. “Our goal for our men’s basketball program is to win Ivy League Championships, and we believe he is the right person to lead us there. Kevin has a passion for the game, is committed to student-athlete development, and has a strategic approach to coaching and recruiting with a proven track record of success.”

Hovde replaces Jim Engles, who stepped down on March 10 after compiling a 71-150 record over eight seasons.

Columbia started 11-1 this season before stumbling to a 1-13 conference record and a 12-15 finish.

Hoyde said he is happy to be headed back to New York.

“Columbia is truly a special place for my family and me, and we are thrilled to be back,” he said. “It’s humbling to have the opportunity to develop young men into leaders on and off the court at one of the top universities in the world. I am eager to get to work and build a program our alumni and community can be proud of.

After his stint at Columbia, Hovde was an assistant coach at San Francisco (2016-21) and his alma mater Richmond (2021-22) before rejoining Golden at Florida ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. Golden was the head coach at San Francisco from 2019-22.

Hovde is the second Florida assistant coach to land a head coaching job this month. Campbell hired John Andrzejek last week.

The No. 1-seeded Gators (32-4) will take on No. 4 seed Maryland on Thursday in the West Region in San Francisco.

–Field Level Media