In just one year, head coach Matt Painter has become one of the most popular figures on the Purdue campus.

In his first season at the helm of the men's basketball program, Painter led the Boilermakers through adversity and gained the respect of numerous Purdue fans and fellow coaches.

Despite losing four starters and playing with only seven scholarship players, the Boilermakers knocked off No. 23 Michigan, NCAA Tournament qualifier Wisconsin and increased attendance in Mackey Arena over the last four home games. Purdue fans clearly like the direction the program is heading under Painter's tutelage.

In 2004, when Purdue's all-time-winningest coach Gene Keady and athletics director Morgan Burke began to discuss who would lead the men's basketball program, it didn't take long for Matt Painter's name to move to the top of their lists.

One of the best young minds in the game, Painter officially became Purdue's 18th men's basketball coach on April 1, 2005, after serving a year as associate head coach.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for me and really a dream come true to be able to coach at my alma mater," said Painter. "We have set our goals very high and want to win championships here at Purdue. This program has a phenomenal history and tradition, and we want to continue to build on that."

In a planned transition, Painter was introduced on April 9, 2004, as Keady's successor.

"Matt possesses everything we want in our men's basketball coach," said Burke. "He's a very experienced recruiter, has a passion for the game and really relates to the players he coaches. The fact that he has been part of the Purdue basketball family is icing on the cake."

During the 2004-05 season, Painter rejoined Gene Keady for his 25th season with the Boilermakers.

Although Painter was solid in his role as a member of the Purdue backcourt from 1989 to 1993, Keady often remarked that Painter was consumed by every facet of the game and was his ideal successor.

Painter spent the 2003-04 season as the head coach of Southern Illinois, where he led the Salukis to a 25-5 record and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Salukis were ranked as high as 15th in the AP poll during the 2003-04 season, and Painter earned Missouri Valley coach-of-the-year honors.

Before becoming the head coach of the Salukis, Painter served as the top assistant coach for five seasons at SIU under longtime Purdue assistant Bruce Weber.

When Weber was hired at Southern Illinois in 1998, he quickly added Painter to his staff. The pair reversed the fortunes of a program that had previously suffered three-straight losing seasons.

In their first year together at SIU, Weber and Painter took a makeshift roster and produced a winning season at 15-12. That set the stage for a 20-13 team in the 1999-2000 campaign that beat Colorado in the NIT.

After recording a 16-14 record in the 2000-01 season, the Salukis emerged on the national scene the following year, posting a school-record 28 wins en route to the NCAA Sweet 16.

The 2001-02 team finished 28-8 and defeated Indiana, Iowa State, Georgia and Texas Tech. Along the way, SIU garnered unprecedented media coverage, putting the program in the national spotlight.

In 2002-03, the Salukis continued their winning ways, claiming their second-straight regular season conference title and making a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. The team was also featured on a national television documentary on MTV.

Painter played guard at Purdue from 1990 to 1993. He appeared in 109 games, with 50 starts. He averaged 4.5 points per game and totaled 276 assists. He was a team captain during the 1993 season, when he was named All-Big Ten honorable mention. He helped lead the Boilermakers to three NCAA Tournament bids and one NIT appearance during his playing career.

Painter was a teammate of current assistant coach Cuonzo Martin. The duo played together for the 1992 and 1993 teams.

After graduation, Painter made three coaching stops before joining the Salukis. He coached one year each at Washington & Jefferson College (1993-94) and Barton College (1994-95) before moving to the Division I ranks, spending three years on the staff at Eastern Illinois (1995-98).

At Washington & Jeff, Painter helped guide the team to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight and an overall record of 22-3. At Eastern Illinois, he was involved in recruiting star players Kyle Hill and Henry Domercant, who later led EIU to the NCAA Tournament in 2001.

The Muncie, Ind., native holds an undergraduate degree from Purdue and a master's from Eastern Illinois. Painter and his wife, Jerri, have three children: Maggie, Brayden and Emma .