CALIFORNIA (March 24) – Former California University of Pennsylvania assistant coach and current Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) head coach Shaka Smart has guided the Rams to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.

Smart, who played two seasons for Cal U head coach Bill Brown at Kenyon College (Ohio), started his coaching career by serving as an assistant coach with the Vulcans from 1999-01.

In only his second season with the program, Smart has led VCU to a 26-11 overall record behind NCAA Tournament wins over USC, Georgetown and Purdue. The 11th-seeded Rams will face 10th-seeded Florida State in the Sweet 16 tomorrow night, Friday, March 25, at 9:55 p.m. EST on TBS in San Antonio, Texas.

The Rams are in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and third time in five years. In 2007, VCU upset sixth-seeded Duke, 79-77, in the first round after hitting the game-winning jumper in the closing seconds.

Smart has posted a 53-20 record (.726) in his two seasons at VCU following stints as an assistant at Akron (2003-06), Clemson (2006-08) and Florida (2008-09).