Former Texas Tech basketball assistant Chris Beard on Monday was named the new head coach at McMurry after he backed out of a job he’d accepted last week at Lamar State College-Port Arthur.

At McMurry, Beard replaces J.D. Isler, who resigned last week after one season. Isler, a former Lubbock Christian University player, said he needed to be available and closer for his parents who live in New Mexico.

McMurry went 20-9 last season. The War Hawks are moving from NCAA Division III, a non-scholarship level, to a provisional member of NCAA Division II next season.

Beard was just announced May 8 as head coach at Lamar State-Port Arthur, a community college. After Beard reconsidered, LSC-PA promptly named one of its other finalists, Lance Madison, as its new coach.

Beard was on the Tech staff from 2001-2011 with Bob Knight and Pat Knight.