Boeheim to stick around Syracuse a little longer
Jim Boeheim says he fully intended for next year to be his last as Syracuse’s basketball coach, and he never thought otherwise until Sunday. That's when assistant Mike Hopkins took a job with Washington.
>> Jim Boeheim says he fully intended for next year to be his last as Syracuse’s basketball coach, and he never thought otherwise until Sunday.
That’s when longtime assistant Mike Hopkins — and Syracuse’s coach-in-waiting — left to become head coach at Washington. Boeheim said at a news conference Monday he never tried to change the agreement he made with the university to retire after next season. Boeheim says Hopkins informed him in a tearful meeting Saturday of the Washington offer.
The 72-year-old Boeheim thought Hopkins would be the best fit to succeed him. The university agreed, signing him as the head coach designate.
Athletic director John Wildhack says he quickly moved to keep Boeheim for the sake of continuity, and received approval from the chancellor and board of trustees. Details of the extension were not released.
Boeheim just completed his 41st season as head coach at his alma mater. He ranks second all-time among Division I coaches in victories with 903, trailing only Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski. Boeheim owns the longest active streak of seasons at one school, ahead of Krzyzewski’s 36 at Duke.
Syracuse also announced that Adrian Autry has been promoted to associate head coach.