Updated

Coastal Carolina athletic director Hunter Yurachek is leaving the Big South Conference school to join Houston's athletic department.

Yurachek announced his decision Thursday. He will stay with Coastal through the league's basketball tournaments, which are played at Coastal Carolina next month, then will become Houston's associate vice president and chief operating officer for the athletic department.

Yurachek has been at Coastal since January 2010 and the Chanticleers' sports teams have won 29 Big South Conference titles and made 30 NCAA tournament appearances.

HE previously worked with Houston's athletic head, Mark Rhodes, when the two were at Akron.

Yurachek says he take pride knowing Coastal Carolina sports are heading in the right direction. The school will begin its search for Yurachek's replacement immediately.