Brandin Knight has had several opportunities to coach at places other than Pitt since his playing career ended three years ago.

But Knight wanted to stay close to his alma mater, and yesterday the Panthers rewarded him by officially naming him the director of operations for the men's basketball program.

Knight, who served as Pitt coach Jamie Dixon's program assistant and video coordinator last season, has been working in his new role for several weeks.

He has been around the Pitt team for almost a decade in official and unofficial capacities.

He was a star point guard from 2000-03 and helped the Panthers develop into an NCAA tournament team under Ben Howland. After graduation, he worked with players in the offseason when he was not on the staff.

"This is like a second home to me," said Knight, 25. "I've been here for almost eight years now, and I've always stayed here year-round. I've always kept a place here. It's a second home. I get a lot of love and support from the people here in Pittsburgh. I don't ever want to leave. The opportunities have been coming, but I have a soft spot in my heart for this place."

Pitt's director of operations position, a job that is mainly administrative with no on-court coaching duties, has been a successful first stop for other up-and-coming coaches in recent years.

Manhattan head coach Barry Rohrssen got his start as Ben Howland's director of operations before becoming Pitt's ace recruiter.

Orlando Antigua, now a Pitt assistant, served in the role for two years before his ascension.

David Cox parlayed his one season as director of operations last season into an assistant coaching position at Georgetown.

In his new position, Knight will manage the day-to-day operations for the men's program and serve as a liaison to the athletic department as well as coordinate practice, game and daily schedules.

Knight cannot recruit on the road, but he is allowed to develop relationships with recruits once they are campus.

"This is an opportunity for people to see me in another light," Knight said. "It's mostly administrative work. Being that I'm so young, sometimes people still ask me if I'm a player. I'm so young people don't always take me seriously. This job has a lot of responsibility. Coach gave me an opportunity last year when I had little experience. Most guys wait five or six years for an opportunity like this. I'm just looking to make this positive."

In other Pitt news, Mark Rhodehamel was named director of operations for the women's team.

Rhodehamel served as an assistant in Pitt's facilities and operations department this past year.

Before coming to Pitt, Rhodehamel was an operations intern at Mellon Arena for SMG in 2006.

Rhodehamel competed in men's swimming at the State University of New York at Oswego, where he earned a degree in public justice. He earned his master's degree in sports management.