FAYETTEVILLE — It wasn’t hard to tell what being named Arkansas’ volleyball coach meant to Robert Pulliza.

Pulliza, 35, was formally introduced by Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long at a news conference Friday, two days after an official offer was extended. After first thanking Long and other Arkansas officials, Pulliza thanked his wife, Jamie, stopping more than once to hold back tears as his voice cracked.

“I want to think my wife for all those years of me being on the road recruiting.... I’m excited finally to say, ‘Baby, we’re home. We’re not moving. We’re home,’” Pulliza said. “I couldn’t be more happy that the state of Arkansas is my home.” Pulliza, most recently the associate head coach at Kentucky, also has worked at Texas, Wisconsin, Northern Illinois and James Madison. He replaces Chris Poole, who oversaw the Arkansas program from its first season of competition in 1994 until last month, when he left to take the head job at Florida State.

“It’s a dream come true,” Pulliza said of becoming a head coach, “and I couldn’t be more proud than to be the head coach at the University of Arkansas.” Poole led Arkansas to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, but the team went 12-19 last season. Pulliza inherits a team that features 10 returners and opens practice Aug. 8.

“It’s kind of hard being without a coach about month before the start of your season, and a lot of us have been worried about it, but [Pulliza ] came in said ‘You’re my players’ and it feels good to be somebody’s players,” junior Destiny Clark said. “I think we’re just ready to get down to work.” Long said his search was tempered by the fact most programs begin practice in less than a month. Long said that meant he was leery of current Division I coaches willing to make the move and instead targeted a group of what he considered top-flight assistants at major programs.

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“Through the process it became clear that there was one person who was heads above all the rest,” Long said in reference to Pulliza.

Pulliza was one of three candidates Long interviewed in person, and he agreed to a five-year deal worth roughly $ 100, 000 annually. Pulliza said he hopes to have at least one of his two fulltime assistant coaches in place within a week and that he’ll complete the remainder of his staff as soon as possible.

Holly Watts, a longtime assistant under Poole who expressed interest in the Arkansas job, told Pulliza she plans to join Poole at Florida State.

Pulliza said he met with a few team members briefly before the news conference and that his message was simple.

“I’m counting on the kids we have here now,” Pulliza said. “We’re going to get it done with the kids that we have here right now.

“ We’re here to win now. We’re not looking at five years, we’re not looking at four years.... It’s only fair to the kids who are here now.”