Longtime Montana coach retires

MISSOULA, MONT. » Montana women’s basketball coach Robin Selvig announced his retirement Wednesday after 38 years at the school.

Selvig, who turns 64 next month, announced the decision on the university’s website, saying he will be at the school until the end of August. The Big Sky Conference school will hold a press conference Thursday.

Selvig was 865-286 at Montana to tie for seventh on the Division I career victory list.

“Over 38 years, there weren’t many days It wasn’t excited to come to work, but I’ve started to lose that excitement,” Selvig said in the school’s release. “The players have always given me their best. When you wear down a little, you start to wonder: Can I still give them my best? I don’t like that question, and I don’t like that feeling. I don’t like not being fired up for next year. The players deserve me at my best, and I don’t know if I have the energy to keep doing it. There are mixed feelings, but I think the time is right.”

A former men’s star at Montana, Selvig built Montana into one of the better and most-consistent mid-major programs in the country, finishing with 36 winning seasons, 31 20-victory seasons, 24 conference championships and 21 NCAA tournament appearances.

Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma took time to praise Selvig on Wednesday night in Delaware after directing the U.S. Olympic team to an exhibition victory over France.

“We were just talking about him today at the meal room, (DePaul coach and U.S. assistant) Doug Bruno and I,” Auriemma said. “Coaches that have been in the game a long time and aren’t in the women’s basketball Hall of Fame that are still coaching. He’s definitely one of them. He did it in a place that not too many people out in the media are paying attention. He’s had as great a career as you can without winning a national championship that you can want to have as a coach.”

The Lady Griz were 20-11 last season.