Pennell will not return as coach

Russ Pennell will not return as the Mercury’s coach in 2014 after serving as interim coach for the final 18 games this season.

“I just wanted to stay in college basketball,” Pennell said Friday. “I had a great time with the Mercury. They treated me great from the top down. At the end of the day, my calling is in college basketball, and it was in the best interest for me and my family to pursue some other things.”

Pennell was the men’s coach for four years at Grand Canyon, the interim coach at Arizona in 2008-09 and an assistant at Arizona State from 1998 to 2004. He also has been an assistant at Mississippi and Oklahoma State.

“I’ve got some things in the works,” Pennell said without being more specific. “Some stuff won’t happen until springtime.”

The Mercury hired Pennell after firing Corey Gaines on Aug. 8, when the team was 10-11. They went 9-4 under Pennell in the remainder of the regular season and beat the Los Angeles Sparks in the Western Conference semifinals before losing to the Minnesota Lynx in the Western Conference finals. Pennell’s Mercury record was 11-7.

“I’m glad I was able to help out in a tough time,” Pennell said. “It was a different experience, in a good way. All along, in the back of my mind, I thought I would want to return to the college game.”

Mercury President and COO Amber Cox also has decided to leave the team to pursue other opportunities, a Mercury official confirmed.