GREENVILLE — Joe Dooley will be East Carolina’s next head basketball coach. A press release from ECU Wednesday confirmed the former ECU head coach will return to Greenville after serving the last five seasons at Florida Gulf Coast.

ECU and Dooley agreed to terms on a five-year contract, which was approved by the Board of Trustees Wednesday evening.

Dooley took the Eagles to the NCAA tournament in 2016 and 2017. His last stint in Greenville began when he took over for Eddie Payne — who took the Pirates to their only NCAA Tournament appearance in 1993 — in 1995. He posted a 57-52 record while on ECU’s bench. That included consecutive 17-win campaigns in his first two seasons.

“Joe’s history with the ECU community and the success he’s had as a coach on and off the court will be a great asset for our men’s basketball program,” Chancellor Cecil P. Staton said in the ECU release. “Not only is he a great recruiter and a great basketball coach, but he also understands the importance of connecting with our alumni, fan base, student body, faculty, and community at large.”