Dave Simmons has been named head men’s basketball coach at McNeese State, replacing Tic Price, who spent the past five seasons at the helm of the program.

Simmons previously served on the coaching staffs of three different Southland Conference championship programs, including Northwestern State, Louisiana Tech and McNeese State.

Simmons recently completed a seven-year stint at Northwestern State, where he helped lead the Demons to three league crowns. This past season, Northwestern State defeated Iowa in the first round of the NCAA tournament, marking the first time a Southland team had advanced to the second round since the 1980s.

Before his experience in the Southland, Simmons worked as an assistant at Delta State, helping the program to a berth in the Division II national semifinals in 1987.