Syracuse, New York - A new era has arrived for Syracuse college basketball with brand-new head coach Adrian Autry, and it comes bearing a huge gift by in guard JJ Starling!

Notre Dame standout JJ Starling announced on Tuesday morning that he will be coming back to his home state to play for Syracuse under the team's new head coach Autry.

Starling just completed his freshman year with the Fighting Irish, averaging 11.2 points per game for the 11-21 team this season.

The New York native is now transferring to Syracuse in large part because of his connection with Autry.

"My relationship with coach Autry is very strong," Starling told ESPN. "That is a guy I know I can trust and he isn't sugarcoating anything. He is going to allow his players to play with freedom and also instill confidence whenever they need it."

He added: "We are going to push the ball in transition and play to the best of our abilities with the utmost confidence. I will most likely be a point guard and shooting guard, but I am willing to play whatever role is necessary for us to win games."

On Wednesday, Syracuse basketball hired a new head coach for the first time in 47 years following former head coach Jim Boeheim's retirement. Autry was promoted from assistant coach to head coach, and has already begun making a big statement helming the program.

Make no mistake about it, Starling and Syracuse is a perfect basketball match, and fans are hyped for it.

"LETS GOOOOOOO - Can't wait to see you in orange," one fan wrote on Twitter.

"I retired as a syracuse fan last week… i am now considering coming out of retirement," another fan tweeted.

"If Judah Mintz returns that’s a heck of a backcourt for the new regime at Cuse," another noted.

With his commitment to the Orangemen, Starling becomes the first pledge under new head coach Autry for Syracuse basketball.