Former University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's basketball head coach Mike Connolly will be back patrolling the sidelines this season, heading up the Keyano College Huskies.

Connolly was hired as the Huskies new head coach late last week, returning to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference where he previously had great success with the Medicine Hat College Rattlers. Connolly, who spent seven years at the helm of the Pronghorns program, won a pair of ACAC bronze medals while with Medicine Hat College and was a two-time coach of the year at the college level.

"We welcome coach Connolly to Fort McMurray as we prepare to compete in the ACAC in September 2010," says Wade Kolmel, Huskies Athletic Director at Keyano College, on the school's athletics website. "On our campus coach Connolly will fulfill our Adult Program Coordinator responsibilities and will continue our commitment to growing the sport and recreation offerings within the Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre."

Keyano College basketball is making its debut in the ACAC North Division this season after winning both men's and women's championships last season in the Alberta Colleges Athletic League.

"Coach Connolly brings a wealth of experience to our basketball program and we feel he will make an immediate impact in our community," adds Kolmel. "Whenever you attract a leader in their chosen field, to a new program such as ours, an athletic director cannot help but be excited for the future of their department, not to mention the future of the basketball team."