Wayne Morgan, an assistant to former head coach Larry Eustachy, became the new head men’s basketball coach at Iowa State Wednesday after a weeklong search.

“I wanted this job,” Morgan said. “This is a great program, and a great opportunity for me. I couldn’t be happier.”

Athletics Director Bruce De Velde and ISU President Gregory Geoffroy both said Morgan’s character was one of the reasons he was selected as coach.

“We see in Wayne everything that we want: honesty, integrity, moral character and a genuine concern for student-athletes,” Geoffroy said. “Coach Morgan has made a commitment to me to always represent this university in a positive manner.”

Eustachy resigned on May 5, one week after reports surfaced that he attended private college parties while drunk after Cyclone losses at Missouri and Kansas State.

Morgan thanked Eustachy for hiring him as an assistant coach in July 2002 and for the lessons Eustachy taught him during the 2002-2003 season.

Morgan said Eustachy’s wife, Stacy, had called him and conveyed her husband’s congratulations.

Twelve seasons as an assistant coach under Jim Boeheim of Syracuse and six seasons as head coach at Long Beach State (California) made Morgan a top candidate for the coaching job, Van De Velde said.

“[We looked for] a proven national recruiter, and most of all, a player’s coach who could mentor, teach, and communicate with young men,” he said.

Morgan said one of his first jobs as head coach will be trying to keep Iowa State’s five-man recruiting class intact.

“Reggie George, Will Blalock and Curtis Stinson are all overjoyed and are coming,” Morgan said.

Morgan said he would visit recruit Damion Staple, a 6-9 forward from Southeastern Illinois College, Thursday to try to convince him to honor his letter of intent to Iowa State. Justin Holt, a 6-7 forward from Tacoma Community College (Washington), is involved in an appeal of an NCAA rule, Morgan said.

Several ISU players attended Morgan’s press conference and said they felt Van De Velde made the right selection.

“I think it’s a smart choice,” said senior guard Jake Sullivan. “He’s the most qualified for this job.”

Sullivan said Morgan would help the Cyclones return to the NCAA tournament.

“[Morgan] doesn’t play games with you; he doesn’t lie,” he said. “He was all of [the team’s] first choice; he gives us the best chance to win.”

Senior guard Tim Barnes said he agreed.

“Coach Morgan is a great person to be around; he’s always positive,” he said.

Barnes said he thought the team’s roster would remain intact for next season.

“I’m pretty sure everyone will be back,” he said.

Morgan said he was in the process of considering assistant coaches and that other administration officials would be involved in approving his staff. He said administrative assistant coach Bob Sundvold will be retained.

Van De Velde said the search process began on May 6 with 30 candidates, three of which Iowa State actively pursued.

According to Associated Press reports, Wyoming coach Steve McClain and Tennessee-Chattanooga coach Jeff Lebo interviewed for the position before Morgan’s hiring.

“I was fearful that we couldn’t hold the team together [if the search lasted longer],” Van De Velde said.

Van De Velde added that attrition in recent years in the men’s basketball program made retaining this year’s recruits crucial.

“Our numbers are down,” he said. “If we had lost a recruiting year, I don’t know if we would have ever recovered.”

Van De Velde said Morgan was hired to a four-year contract, but that the specific terms of the agreement were still being worked out.

As an assistant at Syracuse, Morgan coached in two national championship games, in 1987 and 1996. He said he also watched this year’s Syracuse team win the national championship in New Orleans.

“The common denominator on all those teams, is that those kids all care about one another,” he said.

Morgan resigned in 2002 after six seasons at Long Beach State, where he compiled a 91-84 record. Only two of his teams finished with winning records, although in five of the six years the team was above .500 in Big West Conference play, including a 15-1 conference championship season in 2000.

Morgan said Van De Velde called him about 5 p.m. Tuesday to offer him the job.

“He said, ‘A lot of times in life, people don’t get a second opportunity. You’ve got a wonderful second opportunity,'” Morgan said.