By THE HERALD-WHIG STAFF

CANTON, Mo. -- It took more than 60 days for Culver-Stockton College athletic director Rob Walton to find the right man for the job.

And he went to great lengths to get him.

Walton announced Thursday C-SC had hired John Windham, a prep school coach from Virginia, as its new men's basketball coach. Windham replaces Brad Hoyt, who resigned March 3 after three seasons at the helm.

"We're excited about having John's experience in coaching, teaching and recruiting come to Culver-Stockton," Walton said in a press release. "He will be a good fit for us and an effective recruiter with his breadth of contacts across the Midwest and East Coast."

Windham spent the last six seasons as the head coach at Virginia Episcopal School, a college prep school located in Lynchburg, Va., compiling a 96-57 record and being named the Virginia Independent Conference Coach of the Year in 2007.

But he is Midwesterner at heart. Windham received his bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University in 1978 and a master's degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1981.

"I appreciate the opportunity to teach and coach at an institution that has an outstanding academic reputation, as well as participating in one of the more competitive conferences in the NAIA," Windham said.

"Being from the Midwest, this coaching position is also a chance to move back to where my career started."

Windham spent seven seasons at a college prep school in Salt Lake City, Utah, leading Rowland Hall-St. Marks from last place in its conference to a state semifinal berth in five years. He was voted the Utah Class 2A Coach of the Year after the 1999-2000 and the 2001-02 seasons.

Windham also coached in the Swedish Basketball League in Likoping, Sweden, from 1992 to 1994.

The Wildcats went 8-21 last season, but they return four of their five starters. Barry product Jordan Harris, who was the team's second-leading scorer at 13.4 points per game, was the team's only senior.

-- sports@whig.com/221-3365