After Geno Ford announced he was leaving the Kent State men’s basketball team March 27, the search for his replacement quickly began.

And it is finally coming to a close this week.

Alan Ashby, the assistant director of athletics at Kent State, said the decision on the new head coach will be made official during a news conference either Thursday or Friday afternoon.

Rob Senderoff, associate head coach who became interim head coach March 28, has been brought up as a possible replacement. Other candidates include Ohio State’s assistant coach Jeff Boals and Syracuse University assistant coach Rob Murphy.

Ashby said Joel Nielsen, the director of athletics at Kent State, has not said whom he is leaning toward yet.

“We met with a lot of candidates in Houston during the Final Four (of the NCAA Tournament),” Ashby said. “Nielsen will be making a decision shortly.”

-Rachel Jones