Coach Jack Castleberry gets his shot at FDU. What's next for America's Cinderella?

HACKENSACK – Jack Castleberry was ready to step away from coaching for good.

He was living in Philadelphia two months before his wedding day, with a steady job as a financial planner. But the itch to be around the basketball court wouldn't go away for the former walk-on and captain at Virginia Military Institute.

So he volunteered with a nearby high school and reconnected with his college coach and "second father," Duggar Baucom.

Baucom happened to have an opening for a director of basketball operations down at The Citadel in Charleston.

Castleberry ripped up the game plan with a blessing from his soon-to-be wife, Kara.

Story continues after gallery

"I said I have to try this one more time," Castleberry said. "If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. I can live with that. But I got out on my own accord last time and it was a mistake."

The decision to get back in the game culminated on Thursday, when Castleberry was introduced as the next men's basketball coach at Fairleigh Dickinson.

The 38-year-old was an assistant last year for the Knights, who turned the little-known Teaneck school into a national sensation. FDU (21-16) capped its winningest season in a quarter-century with a historic upset over No. 1 seed Purdue in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

Castleberry promised to keep the same exciting and up-tempo style from the school's underdog run. He told players they can still expect to him to say 'Heat it up' on the sidelines.

"Sports can be romantic sometimes," Castleberry said. "And our story is. What you guys did was unbelievable. There were plenty of people who maybe last week had no idea what FDU is. Now the entire nation does. Your America's Cinderella story and you should be unbelievably proud."

Castleberry takes over for Tobin Anderson, who accepted the head job at Iona after transforming the FDU program. The Knights announced the move on Tuesday, less than 48 hours after a second-round loss to Florida Atlantic in the NCAA Tournament.

FDU:How Fairleigh Dickinson coach Tobin Anderson got here after 20 years in D-2 and D-3

During the transition, Castleberry has stayed in touch with his predecessor.

Castleberry went to Iona when Anderson was introduced earlier this week, and Anderson repaid the favor by showing up to the Rothman Center Thursday morning.

"At least, I'm not following Rick Pitino," Castleberry said.

"I wouldn't be here without you. I do have one request though: I need you to get your stuff out of the office."

School athletic director Bradford Hurlbut described the new hire as a "terrific recruiter" who knows the New York metropolitan area. One of Castleberry's last stops was at Siena, where he spent two years on staff with the women's basketball team.

"It was clearly evident to us that he was a terrific leader of young men that cared for student-athletes with respect and dignity on and off the court," Hurlbut said. "He's someone who is organized and paid attention to detail and coached with great basketball IQ. A person who is passionate, energetic and caring."

Castleberry developed a love of sports well before stepping onto the high school basketball court at Cape Henry Collegiate in Virginia Beach. His dad, John Castleberry, was a sports anchor in Virginia and later the radio voice for Old Dominion. Going on road trips and into locker rooms were a part of his childhood experience.

What to know:F-D-Who? Some facts about Fairleigh Dickinson University

"Some of my fondest memories were driving to away games with him and he would test me," Castleberry said. "Name every team in the NL East. Name every mascot in the AL West."

"Above all else, he taught me about work ethic and he taught me to chase a dream. I don't think there's a more important lesson."

Castleberry chased that dream to VMI, where he went from a walk-on to a scholarship player before graduating in 2007. He worked his way up the coaching ladder as an assistant at UT-Martin and VMI, but got out of basketball at around 30 after his stint at Siena.

Working at The Citadel renewed his passion. After one year in basketball operations, he became a team assistant and later climbed into the associate head coach role.

Now it's his turn to leave a legacy in burgundy and blue.

"If we stop being hard-working and gritty, we're going in the wrong direction," Castleberry said. "We're going to keep pressing. We're going to keep running a motion offense. Coach Anderson did an incredible job laying the blueprint here."

Castleberry plans to build the program around "four-year guys", but is open to filling voids through the transfer portal. This year, the Knights' top two scorers were fifth-year transfers Demetre Roberts and Grant Singleton.

"These guys are unbelievable human beings who buy in and have grit and toughness," Castleberry said. "They have a hunger to get back. We didn't win the NEC this year. We made an incredible run, but we didn't win the regular season championship and we didn't win the conference championship. That is what our goal is always going to be."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jack Castleberry gets shot as FDU men's basketball coach