Had a bunch of D1 search updates yesterday – adding a few more today…
Central Connecticut: Early names making the rounds here – Jim Ferry (interim head coach Penn State), Mike Donnelly (head coach Florida Southern / former head coach Southern Connecticut), Steve Curran (associate head coach St. Bonaventure), Ted Hotaling (head coach New Haven), Will Brown (former head coach Albany), Tom Moore (assistant coach UConn / former head coach Quinnipiac), Patrick Sellers (assistant coach Fairfield / Central Connecticut alum), Scott Burrell (head coach Southern Connecticut), and Chris Casey (assistant coach Fairfield / former CCSU assistant).
Tennessee-Martin: In addition to Wyoming assistant Sundance Wicks (who I mentioned yesterday), other names I’ve heard: Luke Gore (associate head coach Valpo / Tennessee native), Stephen Gentry (assistant coach Illinois), Linc Darner (former head coach UWGB), and current UTM interim head coach Montez Robinson.
Jacksonville: Zoom interviews are starting here in the next few days. Dr. Richard Sander from TopConnect is advising on the search. It sounds like NC State assistant Mike Summey is involved, as well as at least 1 SEC assistant. Most of the names that I have heard so far come from this LIST. Will narrow them down shortly when I confirm more.
Albany: See list from yesterday below. I’ve also been told to add Providence assistant Ivan Thomas here as well.
Denver: Multiple people now believe they are focused on candidates with head coaching experience. Two current D2 head coaches are believed to be involved, and may have already interviewed. Salary here will be $180,000-$200,000. More on this one soon.
Small college quick hitters:
> Interviews are underway at NAIA Oklahoma City University. Will have names shortly.
> It sounds like former UNC Pembroke head coach Ben Miller is in the mix at D2 Clayton State.
> Keep an eye on D2 Lander head coach Omar Wattad at Lincoln Memorial…his name is hot there today.
Yesterday’s D1 DIRT:
Boston College: Cleveland State’s Dennis Gates (his wife is the senior associate AD at BC) is the leader. Purdue’s Micah Shrewsberry (former Celtics assistant) in the hunt. Current non-power 6 head coach with big time pedigree is lurking. Nothing will happen until Cleveland State’s tourney run is over.
Penn State: Gates and Shrewsberry here. too. Other names to keep an eye on – Montana’s Travis DeCuire (was at Cal when PSU AD Sandy Barbour was there) and Ohio head coach Jeff Boals (former Ohio State assistant).
Albany: Sounds like top 3 (in order) – Desmond Oliver (assistant coach Tennessee), Kyle Neptune (assistant coach Vilanova), and Dwayne Killings (associate head coach Marquette). Siena’s Antoni Wyche lurking in the next group with other potential candidates Tobin Anderson (head coach St. Thomas Aquinas), and Gerry McNamara further down the list.
New Mexico: Tim Miles (former Nebraska & Colorado State head coach), and Richard Pitino (Minnesota head coach) making pushes here. New Mexico AD Eddie Nunez is a basketball guy – was a GA under Billy the Kid at Florida (hence the Pitino connection), and an administrative guy with Tom Crean at Marquette.
Eastern Illinois: Very early names here – Paul Lusk (Creighton assistant – former head coach at Missouri State), Marty Simmons (Clemson – former head coach Evansville), Jamal Walker (assistant coach Grand Canyon – former assistant Illinois), and Chris Hollender (assistant coach Missouri).
Indiana State: D2 Lincoln Memorial (TN) head coach Josh Schertz is the leader here (and apparently has been for a while). 334-68 (.831) in 13-seasons at LMU is pretty impressive.
Tennessee-Martin: Most interesting name I’ve heard here so far is Wyoming assistant Sundance Wicks. Former Missouri Western AD is now at UTM – Wicks spent time as the head coach at Missouri Western (although they missed each other by a year).
Fordham: Not much new here. Still thinking that Jared Grasso (head coach Bryant), Shaheen (head coach St. Peter’s), and Pat Chambers (former head coach Penn State) are the top 3. Apparently former St. John’s / UCLA head coach Steve Lavin is higher on the list than people think…
