Shenandoah University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Doug Zipp announced Wednesday that the decision has been made to make a change in the leadership of the men’s basketball program and he will not issue a new contract to head men’s basketball coach Rob Pryor.

Pryor recently completed his sixth season at the helm of the SU program and compiled a 40-117 (.254) record. This past year, Shenandoah was 9-17 overall and had a best-ever 5-11 mark in ODAC play on its way to a ninth-place finish in the league standings.

The Hornets best season under Pryor’s leadership came in 2013-14 when SU won 10 of its first 13 games on its way to a 12-14 finish.

Pryor tutored two players that earned a total of three All-ODAC awards with two-time All-ODAC pick Malcolm Clark earning first team accolades this winter after being a second team selection in 2016. In 2014, Avery Green ’14 earned a first team nod.  “It is not often that a coach has the opportunity to coach with two first-team all conference players in different seasons,”  Zipp shared.

“I want to thank Rob for all of his hard work and passion the past six years,” Zipp said. “He has been a great mentor to our men’s basketball players and an excellent colleague in athletics and across the university.”

Zipp further stated that the school would undertake a national search to find Pryor’s replacement with the goal of having a new head coach in place by the end of the semester.

“We think this is going to be a very attractive job,” Zipp said. “The ODAC is an excellent Division III men’s basketball league and our new facility is on track to be completed as scheduled. I am confident we will generate a great deal of interest in this position.”

After playing in Shingleton Gymnasium since 1969, the university is slated to open the 77,000 square foot Athletics & Events Center in early 2018.

http://www.suhornets.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/releases/20170308k3tdn7