Gainesville, FL - Florida has hired Louisiana Tech's Michael White as its head men's basketball coach.

White has agreed in principle to a six-year deal at an average of $2 million per year. He replaces Billy Donovan, who left Florida last week to take over as the Oklahoma City Thunder's head coach.

White, the 2014-15 Conference USA Coach of the Year, comes to the Gators after leading Louisiana Tech to a 101-40 record over the past four seasons, including three straight conference championships.

Donovan spent 19 seasons at Florida, guiding the Gators to a record of 467-186 with back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. This year's squad finished 16-17, marking his first losing season since his second year with the Gators.

"I have an incredible amount of respect for the University of Florida, and I am so excited to be a Gator," White said. "Not only is Florida home for me, but the tradition and success that the Gators have built make this an incredible opportunity. I know about the great home court advantage in the O'Connell Center, which is a testament to the fans and the Rowdy Reptiles. There's an unbelievable commitment to excellence athletically and academically at UF, and it starts with the leadership of Dr. Fuchs and Jeremy Foley. I look forward to returning to the SEC where I have a lot of great memories, and I can't wait to create many more alongside The Gator Nation."

White led the Bulldogs to the NIT in each of the past three seasons, including quarterfinals appearances in 2014 and 2015. He departs Louisiana Tech with a 30-game home winning streak intact.

White was a four-year starting point guard at Ole Miss in the late 1990s and helped lead the Rebels to three NCAA Tournament berths.

Prior to getting his first head coaching job at Louisiana Tech, White spent seven seasons from 2004-11 on the Ole Miss coaching staff, where he developed a reputation as one of the top assistant coaches in the country.

Before his stint on the Ole Miss staff, White spent four years at Jacksonville State from 2000-04, three as an assistant coach and the final season as associate head coach.