At 31, Capel, who compiled a 79-41 (.658) record over the last four years as head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University, was the third-youngest men's basketball coach in NCAA Division I last year. His squads posted a 50-22 (.694) combined record in Colonial Athletic Association play and a 47-11 overall home record for a staunch .811 winning percentage.

In 2003-04, Virginia Commonwealth's Colonial Athletic Association Tournament championship game victory over George Mason catapulted the Rams to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996. The Rams lost in the first round to Wake Forest, but not before putting a major scare into the fourth-seeded Demon Deacons, 79-78. Capel's 2004-05 squad, which finished 19-13, competed in the National Invitation Tournament, marking just the third time in program history that VCU made consecutive postseason appearances.

The Rams won at least 18 games each of Capel's four seasons at Virginia Commonwealth with the 2003-04 squad registering a Capel-era-best 23-8 record. His first team finished 18-10 in 2002-03 as Capel tied a school record for wins by a first-year head coach. This past season, VCU finished 19-10 overall and 11-7 in league play.

Last summer, Capel served as an assistant coach on the gold-medal-winning USA Men's World University Games Team that finished 8-0 in Turkey in August. Villanova's Jay Wright was the head coach while Seton Hall's Bobby Gonzalez served as the other assistant. The squad featured, among others, Midwest City (Okla.) High School and Duke University standout Shelden Williams.

"I'm extremely excited for the opportunity to be the head coach of one of the best programs in all of college basketball," said Capel. "I'm honored that Joe Castiglione and President Boren have entrusted me to be the leader of the OU men's basketball program and I'm eager to start working with our student-athletes.

"I'm a young head coach who feels his age is a benefit, not a detriment. I have an energy and a passion for what I do, and I'm prepared for this job. I've always felt honored to be called a coach. I cherish the opportunity I have to impact young men."

Continued Capel, "We have outstanding resources and administrative support at Oklahoma and I look forward to contending for Big 12 and national championships."

Capel began his coaching career as an assistant at Old Dominion University in 2000 before moving to VCU as an assistant for the 2001-02 season. In 2002, he became the youngest NCAA Division I head coach at age 27.

A four-year starter for Hall-of-Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke from the 1993-94 through 1996-97 campaigns, Capel earned Atlantic Coast Conference honors each of his seasons in Durham. The guard, who wore No. 5, averaged 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.7 3-pointers during his career. He ranks 22nd in career scoring at Duke (1,601 points), 16th in minutes played (3,774), sixth in 3-pointers (220), seventh in 3-point attempts (553), seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.398) and 10th in assists (433).

Capel started 28 games as a freshman for a Duke squad that lost to Arkansas in the 1994 national championship game, 76-72. He led the Blue Devils in scoring as a junior (16.6 ppg) and helped Duke to a No. 8 final AP ranking as a senior. He averaged 26.5 points over Duke's two NCAA Tournament games his final year, the same season he was named an Academic All-ACC selection.

Responsible for one of the most memorable shots in college basketball history, Capel nailed a running, buzzer-beating 30-footer to force double-overtime against rival North Carolina in a 1995 home game. The contest ranked No. 1 on the list of 25 Greatest Moments in ESPN Basketball History and the play was nominated for an ESPY award.

Following graduation in 1997, Capel played professionally for two years. He spent the 1997-98 season playing for the Continental Basketball Association's Grand Rapids Hoops. In 1999-00, he played in France before returning to Grand Rapids.

A standout prep performer, Capel was named the 1993 North Carolina High School Player of the Year after averaging 23.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists for 31-1 state champion Fayetteville South View. He set school career records for points (2,066), rebounds (668) and assists (663).

Capel boasts a strong basketball pedigree. His father, Jeff Capel Jr., was an eight-year Division I head coach at Old Dominion (seven years) and North Carolina A&T (one year), and currently serves as an assistant coach for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats franchise.

Capel's younger brother, Jason, was a four-year starter at North Carolina who averaged 12.1 points during the 1998-99 through 2001-02 seasons. Jason Capel helped the Tar Heels to the 2000 Final Four.

Capel, who graduated from Duke with a bachelor of arts degree in history, and his wife, Kanika, wed in 2003.