Pitt finally put out their press release on hiring Pat Skerry.

“We are excited about Pat becoming a member of the university community and I know he is ecstatic to be coming to Pittsburgh,” Dixon said. “Pat has worked with some outstanding coaches including 2008 National Coach of the Year Keno Davis and Rhode Island coach Jim Baron. He will help us in recruiting, scouting and player development. We are fortunate to have a coach with his well-rounded and vast background, along with an individual who has previous head coaching experience. He also has extensive recruiting contacts on the East Coast and in the Big East region.”

Skerry arrives at Pitt with 19 years of combined coaching experience at eight different schools: Providence (2008-10), Rhode Island (2005-08), College of Charleston (2003-05), William & Mary (2000-03), Northeastern (1998-00), Curry College, Mass. (1996-98), Stonehill College, Mass. (1995-96) and his alma mater Tufts (1992-95).

“I’m extremely excited to join the Pitt staff,” Skerry said. “We obviously want to continue the great tradition established at Pitt. The program’s championship success speaks for itself.”

Skerry spent the last two seasons at Providence under Keno Davis. In 2008-09, the Friars advanced to the NIT with a 19-14 overall record and 10-8 Big East slate. Skerry assisted with the Friars’ 2009 recruiting class which was ranked No. 35 in the nation by Hoop Scoop.

Prior to his appointment at Providence, Skerry spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Rhode Island under head coach Jim Baron. While at URI, Skerry gained national recognition when he was named one of the top assistant coaches in the country in 2007 by Hoop Scoop. In 2008, Fox Sports.com named Skerry the top mid-major assistant in the nation. He also gained exposure through his recruiting as his 2006 class was rated No. 24 in the nation by Hoop Scoop along with a No. 61 ranking for the Rams’ 2007 group.

Skerry served as an assistant for two seasons at the College of Charleston under former Pitt assistant and current Marshall head coach Tom Herrion. While at Charleston, the Cougars posted a combined 38-19 two-year record.

He coached for three seasons at Colonial Athletic Association institution William & Mary and worked for two years as an assistant coach and chief recruiter at Northeastern University (1998-2000).

In 1996 at the age of 26, Skerry became the second-youngest head coach in the nation when he was selected to guide the Curry College (Mass.) basketball program. He coached at Curry for two seasons, leading the Colonels to the school’s first winning season in five years. He also spent one year as an assistant at Stonehill College (Mass.) and three seasons as an assistant at Tufts University where he helped guide the Jumbos to two ECAC Tournaments along with the school’s first NCAA Division III Tournament berth in 1995.

Now, immediate speculation turns to one of Providence’s verbals for 2011, Naadir Tharpe, who Skerry was the primary in getting the 5-11/6-0 point guard out of Brewster Academy.

“I have not had an opportunity to speak with Naadir about it,” Brewster coach Jason Smith wrote by text. “We are in final exams. The prom is tonight [Thursday] and graduation is Saturday morning.”

Tharpe was considered another big get for Providence. While Scout.com still lists him as a 3-star, Rivals.com says 4-star and ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc. (Insider Subs) puts him as a 94 (on 100 point scale, 90-100 is classified as an “immediate high level prospect”) and lists him as the 51st best junior in the 2011 class.

Keep in mind, though, that when Tharpe gave his verbal, closeness to home — Worcester, Mass — was cited as a reason. At the time he chose Providence over BC. So, it may merely re-open him to BC. Plus, another PG would be a big of a luxury for Pitt and may be considered a glut at the spot.