Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Update on Charlotte 49ers coaching search

Add two more names to the list of candidates under consideration for the men’s basketball vacancy for the Charlotte 49ers.

Former Wyoming and Clemson coach Larry Shyatt, currently associate head coach at Florida, and Ohio U. coach John Groce, a former N.C. State assistant, are among those under consideration, according to a source close to the process.

Shyatt, 58, has worked previously for UNC Charlotte chancellor Dr. Philip Dubois. Shyatt spent one season as coach at Wyoming, going 19-9 and making an NCAA appearance in the 1997-98 season while Dubois was the school’s president.

Clemson hired Shyatt after his success at Wyoming and he was 70-84 in five seasons with the Tigers. He moved to the Florida Gators as an assistant in 2004 and was promoted to associate head coach in 2007.

Groce, 38, is 36-31 in two seasons at Ohio, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament this season before losing to Tennessee. Before moving to Ohio, he was an assistant at Ohio State, Xavier, Butler, N.C. State and Taylor University, where he graduated in 1994.

Ohio U., citing a policy of not commenting on personnel matters, would not say Tuesday whether Charlotte had asked for permission to speak with Groce about the 49ers job.

Another attractive coach might be Appalachian State’s Buzz Peterson, 46, whose family owns a house in Charlotte. He has declined comment on the job. His Mountaineers are playing in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

Peterson previously coached at Appalachian State (1996-2000), leading the team to a 79-39 record and a trip to the NCAA tournament. Before returning to the school this season, he coached Tulsa (26-11), Tennessee (61-59) and Coastal Carolina (35-25).

As of Tuesday night, ASU officials said they had not received a request from Charlotte seeking permission to speak to Peterson about the vacancy.

Also, remove Kansas State assistant Dalonte Hill from the mix. Sources say he is not under consideration. My original list of potential candidates also included Kansas assistant Joe Dooley, Wright State coach Brad Brownell, Wofford coach Mike Young and Siena coach Fran McCaffery.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

CHARLOTTE EYEING TOP ASSISTANTS

Three of the candidates targeted for the Charlotte opening:

1) Kansas assistant and former ECU coach Joe Dooley.

2) Xavier assistant Pat Kelsey, who was at Wake Forest.

3) Texas assistant Russell Springmann.

http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/2010/03/23/pecora_close_to_fordham;_charlotte_eyeing_top_assistants

Anonymous said...

Odom, Shyatt, and Peterson are 100 pct not in the equation. Like high quality names mentioned on Fox Sports.

Anonymous said...

Tell that to the chancellor.

Anonymous said...

Tommy Amaker has name recognition, experience, and knowledge of the Carolinas and Virginia. Tommy Amaker has won at 3 schools, 4 counting Duke and restored integrity at MSU. Tommy has recruited in the Southeast and northeast. Education is also very important to Tommy Amaker. Please consider Tommy Amaker for the Charlotte 49ner coach.

Anonymous said...

Billy Gillespie would be an intriguing choice. He was run out of town by the boosters at Kentucky. As coach of Texas A&M he put them in the elite class of the Big 12 while he was there.

Anonymous said...

What about Rob Moxley, a current assistant? He is a solid coach and recruiter

Anonymous said...

bahahaah at Moxley reference

Anonymous said...

Tommy Amaker has name recognition, experience, and knowledge of the Carolinas and Virginia. Tommy Amaker has won at 3 schools, 4 counting Duke and restored integrity at MSU. Tommy has recruited in the Southeast and northeast. Education is also very important to Tommy Amaker. Please consider Tommy Amaker for the Charlotte 49ner coach

Anonymous said...

Are Charlotte fans ever happy about anything EVER? What a sad lot they are.

Anonymous said...

Who is unhappy? A list of candidates has been presented, and the fans like some, and dislike others. You think just because the Niners don't have NCAA championship banners hanging in their basketball arena that the fans should be happy that any coach would ever consider coaching there?

It is a desirable job, read what the national press has written about the opening. The only people around here that are confused are the ACC homers thinking that Charlotte would be lucky to have Dave Odom as a head coach.

Charlotte is a good job, made better by the good returning group of players, fans have every right to criticize some of the obviously horrible names that are being thrown out because the school should be able to get a desirable candidate.

Anonymous said...

You are and will ever be second to the ACC in your own hometown. Period.

Anonymous said...

And? There are enough people willing to support the Niners that they can be second fiddle in their own city and still sell out their arena and compete for conference titles and NCAA bids, as they did regularly early in the decade. Thus, it is a desirable job.

And because they aren't the top priority in their city, does that mean Niner fans can't have opinions on who the next coach should be?

(The abridged version of this comment: Go away.)

Anonymous said...

Coach K's Associate Head Coach Steve Wojciechowski will get first offer. If not then the Charlotte AD needs to be fired next.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Charlotte will be happy being second best in the state as long as there considered a top school nationally. ACC in NC is like Football in America, the state considers it the top conference but most of the nation considers it second or third compared to other BCS conferences

Anonymous said...

I meant a top sports program in the future

Anonymous said...

What do you think about Brad Brownell from Wright State?