MHERST � The University of Massachusetts will hold an 11 a.m. press conference today, where Steve Lappas is expected to be introduced as the new men's basketball coach.
MHERST � The University of Massachusetts will hold an 11 a.m. press conference today, where Steve Lappas is expected to be introduced as the new men's basketball coach.
The university would not release the name of its new coach, but all signs pointed to Lappas, whose resignation as Villanova coach was reported Friday and announced Saturday.
Lappas and North Carolina-Greensboro coach Fran McCaffery had emerged as the favorites after a search process in which four candidates were interviewed. The job became open when Bruiser Flint submitted a forced resignation March 12.
The only other coach who was involved in the weekend interview process was George Mason coach Jim Larranaga, who interviewed Friday and Saturday. Jim Baron of St. Bonaventure had interviewed earlier in the week.
Lappas spoke with UMass officials, including president William M. Bulger, Saturday morning. He met with other officials in Amherst that afternoon, but a decision could not be made without the approval of Chancellor David K. Scott, who was unavailable until late Saturday night.
Lappas appeared on the verge of getting the job Saturday night, but the final decision did not come until last night. Terms of his contract are not known, but it is believed to be a five-year deal that could be worth as much as $600,000 per year.
That would be well above the approximately $350,000 for Flint, and the value of the deal might have had something to do with the delay in approval. But according to sources, Lappas' package is split approximately equally into three categories � base salary, guaranteed bonuses and other incentives.
Some last-minute support for McCaffery also came from some UMass boosters, who felt he'd energize the community. McCaffery's presentation Wednesday impressed almost everyone involved, while Lappas' coaching is less in question than his ability to supply a popular image to a program with attendance problems.
What he does supply, though, is a fairly high-profile Big East background and a 174-110 record at Villanova, where his teams made the NCAA tournament four times in nine years. The last was in 1999, but Villanova did not make it past the second round of the NCAA tournament during his regime.
On the other hand, UMass hasn't been past the first round of the NCAA tournament since 1996, when John Calipari's team went to the Final Four. The Minutemen have missed the tournament for the past three years.
Under Lappas, Villanova also had a solid record in terms of academics and graduation of players.
Lappas could not be reached last night. But McCaffery wished UMass the best and said he was prepared to return to North Carolina-Greensboro, which reached the 2001 NCAA tournament.
"I was excited about the opportunity, and flattered that UMass spoke with me," McCaffery said. "I'm also very happy where I am."
McCaffery did not guarantee he'd be back in Greensboro, however. His name has also come up in relationship to La Salle and Rutgers, among other schools.
"It's too early to say I'll be back, but I am very comfortable where I am," he said.
Larranaga said he withdrew from consideration yesterday morning.
"I called (UMass athletic director) Bob Marcum bright and early and withdrew," Larranaga said. "I love it at George Mason. But I thought it was important to know what was out there, and flattered UMass called me."
Lappas is expected to bring his own coaching staff to UMass. His assistants at Villanova were Steve Pinone, Joe Jones and Chris Walker.
Lappas began his coaching career at Manhattan, where he was 56-62 from 1988-92. He resurrected a flagging program and the Jaspers improved each year under him, going 25-9 and reaching the third round of the NIT in 1992.
That showing propelled him to Villanova, where his success in the regular season was sometimes overlooked because of the disappointment of quick postseason exits. This year, the Wildcats were 18-13, with an 8-8 Big East record, suffering a first-round NIT loss at Minnesota.
According to some media reports, Lappas' interest in the UMass opening was known before he resigned from Villanova. Even though he had three years left on his contract there, he knew he faced pressure to snap Villanova's two-year NCAA tournament absence next year, and might be dismissed if he couldn't.
Mass will introduce Steve Lappas as its new men's basketball coach at a press conference this morning at the Mullins Center.
The decision, made last night following a meeting between athletic director Bob Marcum and outgoing Chancellor David Scott, follows a hectic weekend in which Lappas underwent interviews with university President William Bulger, the UMass trustees, members of the Court Club booster organization and the athletic administration.
The decision also comes following a temporary sticking point over guaranteed money in Lappas' contract and an entreaty by several Court Club members for North Carolina-Greensboro coach Fran McCaffery, who had interviewed for the job last week.
The 45-year-old Lappas reportedly has signed a five-year contract with a base salary of $200,000, in addition to another $200,000 in guaranteed bonuses. Additional bonuses, including revenue from an annual summer camp and revenue from one game of the coach's choice each season, could drive the contract's annual worth as high as $600,000.
Questions from a UMass administration that was about to institute a 10 percent, across-the-board cut at the university reportedly created a conflict over the guaranteed bonuses in his contract, especially considering that Bruiser Flint resigned two weeks ago with a buyout worth $210,000.
Scott finally signed off on the agreement early last evening.
McCaffery received a telephone call from Marcum at 8 p.m.
``He said good luck, and that he'd try to help me in any way he could, including putting a word in for me at La Salle,'' said McCaffery, who will interview with La Salle officials for a second time today.
McCaffery also has been contacted by Rutgers officials regarding their coaching opening.
Lappas resigned after nine seasons at Villanova on Friday, after the administration refused to give him a long-term assurance despite the fact that Lappas had signed a four-year extension last spring.
The 45-year-old coach's resignation ended what had become a pained relationship with the Villanova community, which was increasingly critical of the Wildcats' postseason record, including four losses in the last five seasons to lower-seeded teams.
The Court Club reportedly raised this issue, asking the question of why Marcum asked for Flint's resignation two weeks ago only to bring in another coach who was the subject of similar criticism at another university.
Lappas will not step into an easily resolved situation. He first faces the question of whether UMass' underclassmen will transfer, with sophomore center Micah Brand - co-winner of the Atlantic 10's Most Improved Player award along with teammate Kitwana Rhymer - the most pressing concern.
Also, Eddie Basden, a guard from Greenbelt, Md., has requested a release from his letter of intent. Marcum, who has said he will release all three recruits from their letters if asked to do so, received Basden's formal request four days ago.
Recruits Jeremiah King of Paterson, N.J., and Mauricio Branwell of Notre Dame of Fitchburg are preparing similar requests.
he University of Massachusetts yesterday reached an agreement to make Steve Lappas its next basketball coach.
The announcement will be made this morning, with the former Villanova coach reportedly signing a five-year deal in which he could be paid more than $500,000 per year if incentives and attendance clauses are met. The deal was not completed without some hard negotiations and some selling from within the administration to a faction of boosters who preferred UNC-Greensboro coach Fran McCaffery.
When reached yesterday, Lappas talked about the last 48 hours, which sent him from a nine-year stint at Villanova to UMass.
''It's been an unbelievably hectic day,'' said Lappas. ''It's been a wild time for me. But I'm excited about the opportunity given to me.
''It was a good time for me to move on. [UMass] was the kind of opportunity I was looking for. I had a lot of success at Villanova, but it was time to move on and I think this will be a great challenge that I'm looking forward to.''
The major selling point for UMass was Lappas's sustained success.
''Look at his record and what he has done at the highest level,'' said UMass athletic director Bob Marcum, who said he first made phone contact with Lappas Thursday night, had another brief meeting with him Friday morning, and set up interviews with UMass officials Saturday, which culminated in a tentative deal.
Lappas's departure from Villanova came about somewhat quickly, although not unexpectedly.
Despite Lappas's success some in the Wildcat community judged Lappas on his NCAA Tournament record of 2-4 and unfulfilled expectations.
Lappas, despite being given a four-year contract extension, had grown weary of the sniping and had his eyes on other opportunities.
When the UMass job opened two weeks ago after Bruiser Flint was asked to resign, Lappas looked on with interest and, in the middle of last week, decided to pursue it.
Although Marcum was well into the interview process, having talked to McCaffery, St. Bonaventure coach Jim Baron, and George Mason coach Jim Larranaga, he also was searching to see if any other coach with a proven track record from a major conference became available.
He considered Providence's Tim Welsh, but backed off when Welsh indicated he would not seriously consider moving from the Big East to the Atlantic 10.
Marcum also checked out the interest of former South Carolina coach Eddie Fogler and former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins, but got no positive response.
McCaffery then became the front-runner, and Marcum was ready to offer him the job.
But when Lappas entered the picture, McCaffery was put on hold.
Lappas's resignation from Villanova made him available, and with no other job in sight, there seemed little question he would accept the UMass job, although there was some early posturing by Lappas's representatives that temporarily slowed down the process.
Late Saturday night, the major obstacles were overcome. But it still took a day of working on the package to get things done.
There was considerable movement yesterday at other schools, most notably at Rutgers, which, according to sources, was trying to pry Hofstra coach Jay Wright from Villanova, which had focused on him as soon as Lappas left.
But Wright tentatively has accepted a deal at Villanova, leaving McCaffery the leading candidate at Rutgers. McCaffery also could end up at La Salle, which is ready to sign him to a long deal.
Locally, Boston College associate coach Tim O'Shea, after a successful first interview with Ohio University, will head to Athens, Ohio, for an on-campus visit today.
And the search at Rhode Island may also be over, with Baron the front-runner.
At Northeastern, Flint will interview today. McNeese State coach Ron Everhart will interview tomorrow and former Celtics coach Chris Ford will meet with officials Wednesday.
Northeastern athletic director Ian McCaw probably will talk to a few other people at the Final Four in Minneapolis at the end of the week and try to make a decision by early next week.
Ohio State assistant coach Paul Biancardi could be one of those interviewed in Minneapolis. However, Flint may not be available if he waits that long; if Duquesne comes back to him and makes an offer, he may take it.
oving quickly to procure Villanova's No. 1 choice for the vacant head coaching position, athletic director Vince Nicastro said last night he had offered the job to Hofstra basketball coach Jay Wright.
Wright, 39, a former Villanova assistant coach who led the Pride to NCAA tournament appearances in the last two seasons, met with Nicastro yesterday morning at an undisclosed location in southern New Jersey. Wright was offered the job before the meeting ended.
Nicastro and Wright did not finalize a contract, but they were expected to do so during another meeting today. Wright could be introduced as Villanova's new coach as early as tomorrow.
"We had a very productive meeting," Nicastro said. "We offered him the job. He was very excited and very enthusiastic about it when he left the meeting.
"We haven't come to terms. We went over some of them [yesterday]. They were pretty specific. But we both felt good when we left."
Nicastro also confirmed that Wright is the sole candidate being considered for the position.
Repeated calls yesterday to Wright's home on Long Island went unanswered.
Meanwhile, Steve Lappas, Villanova's most recent head coach, was moving just as quickly to find a new job for himself. He was expected to be introduced today as the new head coach at the University of Massachusetts.
Nicastro and his staff had to move with haste on Wright, one of the bright young stars in college coaching, who led Hofstra to 50 wins and a pair of NCAA tournament berths over the last two seasons as champion of the America East Conference.
He reached Wright, whom he described as "a tremendous fit for us," via telephone on Saturday night, immediately after meeting with the Rev. Edmund J. Dobbin, the university president. At that time, they set up yesterday's interview.
Wright, a Bucks County native and Council Rock High School graduate, interviewed Wednesday at Rutgers, and athletic director Bob Mulcahy wanted to bring him back to campus today or tomorrow to meet with university president Francis Lawrence. Wright also was expected to meet this week with officials at Tennessee about their coaching vacancy.
But Wright, a Villanova assistant from 1987 through 1992, put all the other colleges on the back burner after Villanova came calling. He has told friends he would love to return to Villanova as a head coach someday.
While Rutgers was prepared to top any offer made by Villanova, Wright's adviser, Carl Hirsch, told the Newark Star-Ledger that money would not be the primary consideration.
The meeting with Wright came less than 48 hours after Lappas tendered his letter of resignation, ending nine seasons as head coach of the Wildcats.
Sources said Lappas left with three years remaining on his contract because he thought he would be fired if he did not lead his team to the NCAA tournament next year. With Michael Bradley, a second-team all-American, expected to skip his senior season to enter the NBA draft, an NCAA berth is not considered likely for the Wildcats.
But as Lappas departed, he had a meeting scheduled with Massachusetts athletic director Bob Marcum for the job left vacant when Bruiser Flint resigned under pressure March 12.
Saturday, one day after submitting his resignation at Villanova, Lappas interviewed in Boston with Marcum, UMass president William Bulger, and some trustees. They then drove to the campus in Amherst for more talks, with chancellor David Scott participating, a source said.
The hiring was expected to have been announced yesterday, but a source said Marcum took time to meet with some boosters who preferred that he choose Fran McCaffery, the head coach at North Carolina-Greensboro and a Philadelphia-area native, for the job. McCaffery was considered a front-runner until Lappas surfaced as a candidate.
Lappas and Marcum were believed to have completed negotiations on a five-year deal yesterday. The Boston Globe reported the total package as being worth $600,000 a year.
A news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. today in Amherst to formally introduce Lappas.
sk yourself this question as Villanova tries to put its spin on the Steve Lappas "resignation": Why would a man with three years left on a contract that would pay him many, many thousands of dollars voluntarily resign?
The answer is simple. He wouldn't.
As the story was breaking Friday, there were as many theories as there were unanswered questions. One thing is absolutely certain:
Lappas did not want to leave Villanova. He liked it there. The coach and his family really like this area. Lappas and his family have been described by friends as "devastated."
So, what happened?
Somebody in the Villanova administration decided Lappas was not going to be the coach much longer. Defining "much longer" is not easy. It could have been now. It could have been after next season, if it was not a successful one. That story changes depending upon whom you talk to.
So who is that somebody? Numerous sources have said it was Villanova president Rev. Edmund J. Dobbin.
"He caved in to the pressure," said one person close to the Villanova scene.
The pressure was coming from the e-mailers, the alumni, the student newspaper and the Internet chat rooms. That former Wildcat Marvin O'Connor has become a star of the first rank at rival St. Joseph's could not have helped. That Temple somehow was working its way through the brackets against all odds must have galled some Main Liners.
Perhaps, it all got too intense for the school president.
A school spokesman said Dobbin is in Ireland and is unavailable for comment.
Whatever the reason, the intent was clear. When Lappas lost that support, he lost the chance to stay at the only job he ever wanted. As word began to trickle out at midweek that Lappas was in trouble, a friend of the coach brokered a deal that would help Villanova save public face and land Lappas on his coaching feet.
Even as the coach formally submitted his resignation, he was making plans to fly to New England on Saturday morning to meet with Massachusetts officials about their vacant coaching position. Others already had interviewed for the job. Lappas essentially had been promised the job. UMass has scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. today.
Lappas' Villanova record has been debated for years. There is little middle ground.
The Lappas bashers point out that he lost three times in the NCAA Tournament as a clear favorite. They will say the recruiting had suffered the last few years. They will tell you the team often looked confused against even token pressure. They will say the motion offense had become too predictable. They will tell you the coach was rigid and unwilling to adapt to changing times.
The defenders remind the bashers that if Jason Lawson hadn't taken a dribble against Old Dominion, he would have dropped in the winning layup in that 1995 first-round NCAA upset. They will tell you that if Kerry Kittles didn't get himself involved in Phonegate at the end of the 1996 season, a confused Villanova team might not have lost to Louisville in the NCAA's second round.
The bashers will say Lappas whined too much during games, that he made his players nervous, that he wasted great talent.
The defenders will say Lappas took a program in sorry shape and shaped it in his image faster than should have been possible. They will tell you he coached the team that gave the school its only Big East championship. They will tell you his second, third, fourth and fifth seasons represented a four-year run as good as any in school history.
There is the good and there is the bad. Evidence could be presented on both sides that would make a good argument for either point of view.
By the end, the bashers were clearly winning the arguments.
It did not matter anymore that the players graduated and that Lappas had six 20-win seasons, four NCAAs and three NITs (including the 1994 title) in his nine years at the school. It mattered that the Wildcats had missed the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year and the team just could not beat the really good teams on its schedule.
There was a real sense that the program had slipped into mediocrity, that even the winning records were somehow irrelevant because the wins did not come against the "right" teams.
And there was always the perception of Lappas himself. He once asked me why nobody liked him. I told him to look at videotape of himself on the sideline.
The public perception of him was that he was a raving lunatic, unable to control himself or his team. It wasn't true, but that was the perception.
The reality is that he is one of the nicest people in an often-nasty business. Anybody who really knows him understands that.
Lappas' sideline demeanor had gotten much better in recent seasons, but he could never shed that initial perception. That was never going to change, no matter what.
What Lappas needed was a new start. His time at Villanova was over.
He might not see it that way today. Eventually, it will become clearer and he can look back at the wonderful relationships he made, the players he coached and the triumphs he oversaw.
Perhaps he will be able to forget the viciousness from some fans who seemed to think they were entitled to something. If Lappas had stayed, the booing at the Ski Lodge was only going to get worse next season.
Nothing short of a Final Four was going to change that. Even if Lappas had finally won a few NCAA games in the same season, it likely would not have been enough.
A divorce probably was inevi-table. The deal with UMass was unforeseen, but this could very well turn out to be the proverbial trade that was good for both teams.
If this all sounds familiar, it should. This whole deal has eerie similarities to the end of the Rollie Massimino era at Villanova. In 1992, Massimino took off for UNLV as the vultures were circling. Lappas became his successor.
Villanova athletic director Vince Nicastro presided over a classy news conference Saturday to announce Lappas' "resignation." He answered the questions as best he could under difficult circumstances.
He termed Lappas' tenure "very successful."
One answer was most revealing. Did he ever think of firing Lappas?
"I didn't think of that, no," Nicastro said.
But somebody thought of it. And that set the wheels in motion for another wild ride on the coaching carousel.
The bashers had gotten their way. Let the next Villanova coach be forewarned.
mherst, Mass. -- University of Massachusetts Athletic Director Bob Marcum announced today that Steve Lappas has been hired as the 19th head coach in the 92-year history of the Massachusetts men's basketball program.
Lappas comes to UMass after nine highly-successful seasons at Villanova University, where he guided the Wildcats to a 174-110 (.613) record. The 47-year-old Lappas owns a 230-172 (.572) mark in 13 seasons as a Division I head coach, including a four-year stint at Manhattan College.
Audio clip: Steve Lappas chats with the media. streaming Real Audio17 min, 35 sec long Courtesey: MassLive |
Lappas-coached `Nova teams averaged 19.3 wins per season (20.8 wins over his last eight seasons), and reached the 20-win mark six times. In addition, his squads won at least 10 Big East games five times and posted a .500 or better league record seven times during his tenure. He is one of only four coaches in Villanova history to win at least 150 games, and his 97 career Big East victories (includes nine conference tournament wins) rank sixth all-time in league history (third among active league coaches behind Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and Connecticut's Jim Calhoun). Since 1993, no Big East team has put together more 20-win seasons than the Wildcats (six).
Five Wildcat players were drafted by the NBA during Lappas' stint as head coach, including lottery picks Kerry Kittles (eighth selection by the New Jersey Nets in 1996) and Tim Thomas (seventh pick by the New Jersey Nets in 1997). In his 13 seasons all-told at Villanova, he coached nine NBA players.
Lappas went to Villanova as an assistant coach in 1984 and in his first season was a member of Coach Rollie Massimino's staff that led the Wildcats to their only NCAA championship in 1985. In his four seasons as an assistant at `Nova, the Wildcats posted an 87-53 (.621) record and twice advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
In 1988, Lappas left Villanova to become head coach at Manhattan College, where he directed a remarkable turnaround of the Jaspers' hoop fortunes. The New York, N.Y., native improved his victory total every season at Manhattan, from seven wins in his first campaign to 11 in year two, 13 in his third year and 25 in his fourth and final season (1991-92). He earned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors in his last campaign, as he led the Jaspers to the MAAC regular-season title and the third round of the NIT.
In the eight seasons prior to Lappas' arrival at Manhattan, the school had won just 75 games from 1980 through 1988. In addition to reaping league Coach of the Year honors in 1992, he also earned National Association of Basketball Writers District II Coach of the Year recognition and was selected as the New York Metropolitan Coach of the Year.
From Manhattan, Lappas returned to Villanova as head coach, and after a year of rebuilding in 1993, his 1994 squad finished 20-12, posting the school's first 20-win season since 1988, and captured the school's first National Invitation Tournament title. The Wildcats won 14 of their final 17 games, and Lappas was recognized as the Coach of the Year in the East region by Basketball Times and Big East Briefs for his efforts, and received a Special Recognition Award from the Philadelphia Big Five.
In 1995, Lappas' third season on the Main Line, Villanova finished 25-8 overall and set a school record for Big East victories (14). The Wildcats won the school's first-ever Big East Conference Tournament title (beating UConn in the title game) and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four seasons. He was presented with the Harry Litwack Award as the Eastern Coach of the Year by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association, earned Big Five Coach of the Year and was a finalist for AP and Naismith College national Coach of the Year honors.
The next year (1996), Villanova won a school-record 26 games (against only seven losses) and again played in the NCAA Tournament. Along the way, Villanova also reached its highest ranking ever in the Associated Press poll, checking in at No. 2 in December. Kittles became Villanova's first player to earn Big East Most Outstanding Player honors.
Year five (1997) of the Lappas' era saw the Wildcats claim the school's first Big East regular-season title since 1983, as Villanova went 24-10 overall and 12-6 in the league. Thomas became the first Wildcat in school history to earn National Freshman-of-the-Year honors, as the school earned its third-straight NCAA Tournament bid. It marked only the third time in Villanova history that the school reached the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive seasons.
With the departure of four starters, three of whom went on to play in the NBA, Lappas' sixth VU team finished 12-17 overall in 1998. But, his 1999 squad bounced back to finish 21-11 overall and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time under his direction.
In 1999-2000, the Wildcats won 20 games for the sixth time in seven seasons, but were denied an NCAA Tournament berth and were forced to settle for an NIT bid. Lappas posted a pair of career milestones during the season, as he earned his 200th victory as a college head coach on Jan. 12, 2000, when Villanova downed La Salle (80-72). A few weeks later, Lappas picked up his 150th win as the head coach at VU when the Wildcats beat crosstown rival St. Joseph's, 68-61.
A 1977 graduate of City College of New York (bachelor's degree in education), Lappas began his coaching career as a volunteer coach at York College for one season, followed by a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Fort Lee High School. He then took over the reigns of the Bronx' Harry S. Truman High School program in 1979, where he coached until 1984 when he joined the Villanova staff. Lappas compiled a 91-32 record at Truman, including a 27-3 record in 1983-84 when his squad captured the New York State Class A title. He was a two-time New York Daily News Coach-of-the-Year.
A three-year letterwinner in basketball at CCNY and team captain as a junior, Steve and his wife Harriet are the parents of two children, Kristen (13) and Peter (10). Steve and Harriet have been active in the Philadelphia area, working with the Coaches vs. Cancer team and Special Olympics.
In addition to Lappas' personal involvement in the Philadelphia community, his team was active in the community, too. The Wildcats have made visits to Children's Hospital, participated in a campus beautification service project at Olney High School and been a part of the school's pen pal program with area middle schools.
Lappas replaces James "Bruiser" Flint, who was UMass' coach for the past five seasons and finished his career with an 86-72 record.
Steve Lappas' Year-by-Year Head Coaching Record
Overall Conference
Year School W-L Pct. W-L Pct. Place Postseason
2000-01 Villanova 18-13 .581 8-8 .500 3rd (TE) NIT (0-1)
1999-00 Villanova 20-13 .606 8-8 .500 6th (T) NIT (1-1)
1998-99 Villanova 21-11 .656 10-8 .556 4th (T) NCAA (0-1)
1997-98 Villanova 12-17 .414 8-10 .444 4th
1996-97 Villanova 24-10 .706 12-6 .667 1st (T) NCAA (1-1)
1995-96 Villanova 26-7 .788 14-4 .778 2nd NCAA (1-1)
1994-95 Villanova% 25-8 .758 14-4 .778 2nd NCAA (0-1)
1993-94 Villanova 20-12 .626 10-8 .556 4th (T) NIT Champions (5-0)
1992-93 Villanova 8-19 .296 3-15 .158 10th
Nine-Year Totals 174-110 .613 87-71 .551 Four NCAA, Three NIT
1991-92 Manhattan 25-9 .735 13-3 .813 1st NIT (2-1)
1990-91 Manhattan 13-15 .464 8-8 .500 5th
1989-90 Manhattan 11-17 .393 7-9 .438 3rd (T)
1988-89 Manhattan 7-21 .250 3-11 .214 7th
Four-Year Totals 56-62 .475 31-31 .500 One NIT
13-Year Career Totals 230-172 .572 119-105 .556 Four NCAA, Four NIT
%-Big East Tournament Champion.
As a Division I Assistant Coach
Overall Conference
Year School W-L Pct. W-L Pct. Place Postseason
1987-88 Villanova 24-13 .648 9-7 .563 3rd (T) NCAA (3-1)
1986-87 Villanova 15-16 .484 6-10 .375 6th NIT (0-1)
1985-86 Villanova 23-14 .648 10-6 .625 4th NCAA (1-1)
1984-85 Villanova 25-10 .714 9-7 .563 3rd (T) NCAA Champions (6-0)
Four-Year Totals 87-53 .621 34-30 .531 Three NCAA, One NIT
In 13 seasons as a head coach, Steve Lappas has...
MHERST - Former Villanova coach Steve Lappas is the new head coach of the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team.
 Steve Lappas was introduced as the 19th coach of UMass men's basketball. |
Athletic Director Bob Marcum said that the school's search for a new coach sped up drastically once Lappas became part of the mix.
"When you embark on the search for a new coach you look for a proven winner and someone that has demonstrated a very high graduation rate," Marcum said. "We had no set time line. The university was very good at letting us work at our own pace, but something changed all that, and that something was Steve Lappas.
"When Steve Lappas was available for the university to pursue as a basketball coach it changed our time line tremendously," Marcum continued. "We looked at the field and said how can we improve on Steve Lappas? We just didn't think that existed and we immediately put everything into high gear in order to acquire Steve Lappas."
Lappas has a five-year contract with a base salary of $175,000 with added money coming from radio and TV shows, speaking engagements, a contract with Nike and a basketball camp.
Lappas expressed excitement about the opportunity.
"Bobby Knight had a great quote when he said 'It's great to be the coach of the University of Somewhere'," Lappas said. "This is a great opportunity with an arena like this and the whole state behind you."
Lappas said he is uncertain how many of his assistants at Villanova would follow him to UMass. "I'm not sure but I think at least a couple will be coming here with me," he said.
Lappas told the crowd that included reporters, administrators and some boosters what they could expect from his teams.
 The WMass media gets to know Lappas. |
Lappas spoke with pride about his graduation rate at Villanova.
"Every player that we've had in the program as a senior has graduated," he said. "I'm an educator first and that's very important. That's what we're here for."
Lappas, 45, resigned at Villanova Friday after an 18-13 season that finished with an 87-78 loss to Minnesota in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. He was 174-110 in nine years at Villanova with four trips to the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 1999. He was an assistant coach under Rollie Massimino on the Wildcats' 1985 national championship team.
His overall coaching record is 230-172, which also includes a stint at Manhattan College. Villanova produced NBA players Tim Thomas, Kerry Kittles, Jason Lawson, and Alvin Williams under Lappas.
The decision to hire Lappas was made over the weekend. He flew to Boston Saturday where he interviewed with UMass officials in President William Bulger's office, then traveled to Amherst, where he met with Marcum and others. Lappas stayed in Amherst Saturday night and was offered the job Sunday, according to Marcum.
UMass chose Lappas over North Carolina-Greensboro coach Fran McCaffery, Jim Larranaga of George Mason and Jim Baron of St. Bonaventure, all of whom interviewed for the post last week.
The position opened March 12, when former coach James "Bruiser" Flint was forced to resign after five seasons. His team finished with a 15-15 mark, failing to make the postseason.
Marcum said he thinks Lappas will be a good fit at UMass.
"How often can an Atlantic 10 school hire the coach of a Big East program?" Marcum said. "He's the sixth winningest coach all-time in the history of the Big East. If you take out his first year at Villanova, he averaged 10 wins a year in the conference and 21 wins a year overall."
MHERST - Steve Lappas' hectic existence isn't likely to slow down any time soon.
After being named the new men's basketball coach at the University of Massachusetts Monday, the former Villanova coach will need to hit the ground running.
Lappas, 45, stepped down at Villanova Friday, flew to UMass Saturday and interviewed Saturday and Sunday before being named the school's new coach this morning. He won't get much time to settle in, as several things need to be addressed immediately.
* Lappas likely will try to convince the three recruits UMass signed during the fall signing period - Eddie Basden, Maurecio Branwell and Jeremiah King - to honor their commitments. Marcum has agreed to release all three from their letters of intent if they wish.
Lappas recruited Basden while he was at Villanova and the 6-foot-5 guard said that his final choices had been the Minutemen and the Wildcats, which might give Lappas an edge in keeping him.
| Audio clip: Micah Brand speaks from the players' perspective, and reveals his own intentions. streaming Real Audio 1 min, 38 sec long Courtesey: MassLive |
* If those recruits decide not to come to UMass, or if any players opt to leave, Lappas will need to hit the recruiting trail quickly if he hopes to reel in any prospects in time for the spring signing period that begins April 11.
* It's unknown whether Lappas plans to bring any or all members of his staff of assistant coaches with him from Villanova. Lappas likely will head to the NCAA Final Four this weekend in Minneapolis. With almost every Division I head and assistant coach in attendance there, he could use that time to interview prospective assistants.
Former UMass player Tyrone Weeks, who is currently an assistant at St. Bonaventure, said he'd be interested in getting a spot on the Minuteman staff if one should open.
Meanwhile, Lappas' move to UMass' affects the status of several other openings. North Carolina Greensboro coach Fran McCaffery, who was considered the front-runner at UMass before Lappas became available, could be offered the head coaching position at La Salle early this week.
St. Bonaventure coach Jim Baron, who also interviewed with the Minutemen, is considered the front-runner at Rhode Island.
With Lappas gone, Villanova becomes one of the leaders in the Jay Wright sweepstakes, disappointing Rutgers, which hoped to have the Hofstra coach on board this week.
Tennessee also is interested in Wright.
And Flint could find himself at the helm of a new program shortly. He is scheduled to interview at Northeastern Monday following meetings last week with Duquesne and Drexel. He could get an offer from one of the schools early this week.
MHERST � Moments after Steve Lappas had strode to the podium after being introduced in his new capacity, his cellular phone started ringing.
Lappas didn't answer. Whoever it was will have to find him in the University of Massachusetts men's basketball office.
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"I know the Atlantic 10 is a great league," said Lappas, who resigned from Villanova, a Big East school, over the weekend. "It's bad enough I had to coach against (Temple coach) John Chaney once a year at Villanova. Now I get him twice a year."
Lappas is being entrusted to revitalize a UMass program that was 46-47 in Flint's last three years, with only a 2000 NIT first-round exit to show for the postseason. Attendance has plummeted, too, but Lappas said he is eager for the chance to reaffirm the Minutemen's place in college basketball.
"There's a famous quote from Bob Knight, who said it was great to coach at a 'University of Something,' " Lappas said. "Now I have the opportunity to coach at a state university."
Lappas knows UMass fans are looking for results, though he said a new coach's impact on a program isn't fully felt until his first set of recruits become juniors. Not only does he intend to win, Lappas said he intends to transfer the Villanova program's splendid academic and graduation record to UMass, which also earned an outstanding reputation in those categories under Flint.
"I started out as a high school teacher and coach," Lappas said. "I think of myself as an educator."
Lappas, 47, was hired Sunday after a dizzying set of events. His resignation from Villanova had been reported Friday and announced Saturday, the same day he met with UMass administrators.
UMass athletic director Bob Marcum, who interviewed three other candidates, said it was needless to look any further.
"You look for a proven winner, someone who has a high graduation rate among players, and wins against good competition," Marcum said. "We really had no set of candidates or set timeline, but something changed all that, and what changed it was Steve Lappas. We didn't think we could improve on that."
Lappas, the most well-known name among the candidates, said he had been thinking of leaving Villanova for about two months. He admitted he was bothered by perceptions that the Wildcats were underachieving, even though his nine years at Villanova produced four NCAA tournament appearances, three NIT berths, and a 174-110 record.
An assistant to Rollie Massimino on Villanova's 1985 NCAA champion, Lappas coached four years at Manhattan before taking over the Wildcats in 1992. His 1995 team won Villanova's only Big East title.
Since 1993, Villanova's six 20-win seasons leads all Big East teams. The 2000-01 Wildcats were 18-13 with a first-round NIT loss at Minnesota.
Details of Lappas' UMass contract were not disclosed, but sources said it was for five years and worth more than $500,000 per year, with about two-thirds of it in either guaranteed bonuses or other incentive clauses.
Other candidates in the search were offered $350,000 to $400,000 per year, which is approximately what Flint was making.
Lappas, who will probably bring at least most of his Villanova staff to UMass, met with his new team yesterday afternoon. He's aware that many players felt loyalty to Flint.
"I told them I understood how hard this was for them," said Lappas, who said he and Flint are friends. "The Villanova players are going through the same thing."
The new regime was endorsed by one key player.
"I'm definitely staying," said sophomore forward Micah Brand, ending speculation he might transfer. "He'll probably be a little different than Bruiser, but it's a little easier now, knowing coach Lappas will be the coach."
Another key piece of next year's puzzle, freshman point guard Anthony Anderson, declined a media interview request. Anderson sat out this season for academics.
Lappas also planned to talk to next year's recruits, where he may have a sales job on his hands. All three � Eddie Basden, Mauricio Branwell and Jeremiah King � indicated after Flint's departure that they would look into going elsewhere.
Lappas hopes to keep them, but also said that some players he was recruiting for Villanova might now consider UMass. He may have a head start with Basden, a shooting guard who considered Villanova before choosing UMass.
Lappas said he prefers rugged half-court man-to-man defense, though he resorted to zones this season. That's similar to Flint's style, but the philosophies differ more on offense, where Lappas is more likely to favor 3-point shooting.
As Lappas takes over at UMass, Flint is still pursuing a new job. He interviewed at Northeastern yesterday, meets for a second time at Drexel today and is still a front-runner at Duquesne.
or three days, basketball insiders have been trying to figure out how a coach like Steve Lappas could quit at Villanova on a Friday, and find himself practically signed, sealed and delivered to the University of Massachusetts the next morning.
Could secret negotiations have begun earlier? Did he really quit, or was he fired?
Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe what's important is that sometimes, everyone needs and deserves a fresh start.
Charisma was not considered Lappas' strong suit in Philadelphia, but you wouldn't have known it yesterday at the Mullins Center. The man expected to fire up the Minutemen got off to a strong start � largely because he seemed fired up, too.
"I'm re-energized," Lappas said. "I'd forgotten what it was like to walk into something new. The last two months didn't affect my coaching, but it sapped my energy."
Lack of energy has never been Lappas' problem. And if this is indeed a fair world, the last two weeks may work out for everybody.
Lappas needed a new challenge. Perhaps Bruiser Flint, forever destined to be second-guessed at UMass, needed a new venue he'll soon find. And UMass administrators believe the program needed some fresh air.
Lappas is being more or less presented as Flint Plus. He says the academic values Flint embodied are his, too. He is saying UMass can have those values � and win.
"One thing the players expressed is that they really want to win," Lappas said after meeting his new team. "They think they should have been better than they were."
Flint was ousted after missing three straight NCAA tournaments. The same fate might have awaited Lappas at Villanova in 2002. He is not so naive as to think he's escaping high expectations, but is excited to tackle them in new surroundings.
"The expectation is to make the NCAA tournament," he said. "That goes with the turf. It's my expectation, too.
"I also expect if you win 18 or 19 games and not get in (the NCAA field), that's (perceived as) pretty good," he said. "It shows you're on the right track."
Or at least, it should. In nine years under Lappas, Villanova averaged 19.3 wins per year. This year, the home fans criticized an 18-13 team that barely missed the NCAA field and made the NIT.
Lappas can't be reached directly on e-mail, perhaps because he knows what awaits.
"Villanova has won one Big East championship (in 1995), and I coached it," he said. "I still got nasty letters that year."
Fairly or otherwise, Flint and Lappas had worn out their welcomes with many fans. Flint said the schedule was a problem. Yesterday, Lappas' take on scheduling was intriguing.
"Every schedule has to have a balance that fits the needs of the program," Lappas said. "Are we young? Can we build confidence?"
That's not exactly the same as "any place, any time, any team." It is, however, realistic.
Flint averaged 15.3 wins over his last three years. Most UMass fans no longer expect miracles, only improvement. As Flint and Lappas endured similar criticism last year, one difference was that Lappas won more games.
UMass has staked a big investment � reportedly more than $500,000 a year � in Lappas, thinking this recognizable name with 230 career wins can do it. Lappas thinks UMass can still stand for basketball excellence, not only in the Atlantic 10 but beyond.
For a man looking for a fresh start, yesterday was a very good start.
"After nine years at Villanova, it was time for a change," Lappas said. "This was a good opportunity not only to go somewhere else, but somewhere like here."
MHERST - Mere minutes after settling into his new post, Steve Lappas made a wish.
``I hope we have some guys on this team who can shoot some 3's,'' the 19th coach in the 92-year history of UMass men's basketball said yesterday.
Someone had better brace Lappas for the worst, then. Now that Monty Mack has used up all of his eligibility, the Minutemen, as composed, are a severely trey-challenged group.
But unless Lappas can pull a tail-gunner or two out of his back pocket, perhaps this is looking too far ahead.
Lappas, who agreed to a five-year contract worth a minimum of $400,000 annually (it can reach $600,000 with incentives), has barely regained his breath after a whirlwind weekend that started with his resignation from Villanova on Friday.
After nine seasons as a head coach in the Big East, and 12 overall including his time as an assistant to Rollie Massimino, the 47-year-old Lappas has turned to the Atlantic 10 with the hope of building some fresh momentum.
And UMass, following Bruiser Flint's forced resignation two weeks ago, is looking for a way to refill the Mullins Center - a mammoth undertaking in and of itself.
Lappas' arrival comes packaged with what UMass athletic director Bob Marcum hopes is the answer to a more immediate problem - regular NCAA tournament participation.
Though Lappas ran into trouble with the Villanova community in recent years over the poor performance of his teams in the postseason, four of his squads reached the NCAA tournament, three others qualified for the NIT, and the Wildcats won the 1994 NIT title. In addition, Lappas took Manhattan to the NIT in 1992.
His last four tournament teams at Villanova, however, were eliminated by lower-seeded opponents. As such, Lappas sounds like a happy man when discussing this chance to escape his dour Villanova surroundings.
``(NCAA tournament expectations) go with the turf, and I understand that,'' he said. ``No one can put more pressure on me than me. I got into this profession to achieve excellence. No amount of fan displeasure can get to me, because I want this program to go where it has to go.''
That said, Lappas was admittedly worn down by the criticism he absorbed, especially during the last five seasons.
``I won't say that you don't get frustrated when you average just about 20 wins per year,'' he said. ``But you have to step back sometimes and understand that it's not everybody who feels like that. The bottom line is that I wanted to be here.''
Lappas' desire to move to Amherst certainly peaked quickly. He signed a four-year extension at Villanova last spring, but could sense his fortune declining after the Wildcats were eliminated by Minnesota in the first round of this month's NIT. When it became apparent that he was going to have difficulty lasting for the length of the extension, Lappas told Villanova President Rev. Edmund J. Dobbin of his interest in the UMass opening. Dobbin, anxious to snare Hofstra's Jay Wright, asked Lappas to resign.
Marcum, who said he received a telephone call from an intermediary ``late'' Thursday night regarding Lappas' interest, acted quickly. Lappas, too, must now act quickly, with his first act an attempt to convince incoming recruits Eddie Basden, Mauricio Branwell and Jeremiah King to not pull out of their commitments.
Marcum has already received Basden's formal request for a release.
``The first thing I have to do tonight is to call those kids,'' said Lappas. ``We recruited Eddie at Villanova, and he came on an unofficial visit, so I know a lot about Eddie. We'll see how it goes.''
teve Lappas, new head basketball coach at UMass, left Villanova one step ahead of the alumni posse. Lappas' job was in jeopardy because he didn't get the Wildcats into the NCAA tournament.
Oddly enough, that's the reason Bruiser Flint, Lappas' predecessor at UMass, lost his job at the end of the season.
In other words, UMass fired a coach for failing to meet a set goal, then hired a replacement who failed to reach the same goal. The dean of the management school must love that one.
Nothing against Lappas. He's a good coach. He enjoyed respectable success at a traditional basketball power where repeated NIT bids are unacceptable.
But Flint was a good coach, too. He won more games at UMass than he lost. He got his team to the postseason three of his five years there. That's respectable success. It's about all any coach not named Auerbach or Wooden could accomplish at UMass - if he plays by NCAA rules.
The UMass administration is, to be blunt, delusional. It thinks that because the basketball team went to the Final Four once, the Minutemen should at least make the Sweet 16 on an annual basis. All the school needs to win games and make money is an honest John Calipari. There must be plenty of those out there.
America abounds with young, charismatic, achingly ambitious basketball coaches. A number of them would be happy to coach at UMass. A few of them wouldn't cut corners to win. Therefore, they wouldn't win. UMass doesn't understand what happened during the Calipari regime. He didn't win in spite of ignoring academics and what his players did to get spending money. He won because of that.
UMass is a medium-sized fish in the college basketball ocean. The school isn't a destination for coaches, it's a way station, a place to burnish the old resume for a few years, then leave for a really desirable job. Lappas may be the exception, but as a rule coaches do not leave Big East schools for the Atlantic 10 of their own volition.
UMass' problems on the court and at the box office have the same root cause - geography. Three out of every four people in the state face a 125-mile drive to get to Amherst. On a winter's night, that's no fun. The Minutemen have to be big winners to convince Bostonians to buy tickets.
When it comes to recruiting, UMass faces the same hurdle. It's an Eastern school that's outside the megalopolis, Syracuse without the Carrier Dome. It's in a mid-major conference dominated by big-city schools with long basketball histories. Temple is part of Philadelphia sports in a way our state university will never be part of Boston.
Throw in the insane schedule UMass plays in its endless search for hoop revenue, and the odds are stacked against any coach there. Calipari's luck was due to run out and he knew it. As soon as Marcus Camby left, so did he.
Lappas may improve on Flint's record. But the powers that be should understand any such improvement will be marginal. With its new coach, UMass might qualify for the NCAAs every other year. It might make the Sweet 16 once every five or six seasons. Final Four? Fuhgedaboudit.
Which perennial power is UMass going to replace on the national scene? North Carolina? Arizona? Beating Temple half the time is the natural UMass limit. It's not an easy limit to reach, either.
Our beloved but unrealistic State U needs to come to terms with NCAA arithmetic. There are 318 teams playing Division 1 basketball. Of those, 64 make the tourney. The Final Four never has 17 teams. UMass evidently believes otherwise.
Instead of changing basketball coaches, it might be time for UMass to roll a few heads in the math department.
MHERST - Steve Lappas was introduced as the University of Massachusetts' new basketball coach yesterday, and as he addressed a group of about 60 people at the Mullins Center, his emotions were running pretty high.
�I'm a little nervous and I'm not usually one to get nervous in these situations,� Lappas said. �I'm as nervous as I was on the day Michael Bradley told me he'd be going to Villanova.�
Bradley, the former Burncoat High star who spent two years at the University of Kentucky before transferring to Villanova to play for Lappas, is currently mulling over his own future. Bradley recently completed a superb junior season with the Wildcats and is weighing whether to stay in school or leave for the NBA Draft. Bradley's father, Dave, was at yesterday's press conference to show his support for Lappas, who has become a close family friend.
�I don't know what Michael's going to do,� Lappas said. �He's going to have some opportunities and he's going to have some choices.�
Lappas, 47, spent nine years at Villanova, where he guided the Wildcats to a 174-110 record and seven postseason appearances. The Wildcats, who won the 1994 NIT, were 2-4 in the NCAA Tournament under Lappas. Villanova finished 18-13 this season and lost in the first round of the NIT.
�It was time for a change,� said Lappas, who was an assistant under Rollie Massimino for four seasons at Villanova and also spent four years as Manhattan's head coach. �I thought about it for a while. I was thinking about it for a couple of months, then the UMass thing developed and I thought it was a good opportunity.�
Lappas, who signed a four-year contract extension at Villanova last summer, said he spoke to UMass athletic director Bob Marcum on the phone last week. Lappas resigned from his Villanova post on Friday, and spent the weekend interviewing at UMass.
�These things move quickly and decisions are made quickly, especially when the two parties are so compatible,� Lappas said. �We hit it off well and everything came together. I'm excited about the opportunity.�
North Carolina-Greensboro coach Fran McCaffrey, St. Bonaventure's Jim Baron and George Mason's Jim Larranaga were considered the leading candidates to replace Bruiser Flint until Lappas entered the mix. Baron was hired by the University of Rhode Island yesterday. Hofstra coach Jay Wright confirmed yesterday he has been offered the Villanova job, but hasn't decided if he'll succeed Lappas.
UMass was rumored to have been interested in Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard early on.
�When Steve Lappas became available, our time line changed tremendously,� Marcum said. �We didn't think we could improve on Steve Lappas.�
Flint, who went 86-72 in five seasons at UMass, was asked to resign two weeks ago. The Minutemen finished 15-15 this season and failed to make the postseason. UMass went to the NCAA Tournament in Flint's first two seasons, but fell to 14-16 in 1998-99 and 17-16 last year. Attendance at UMass home games fell off dramatically and the program clearly fell from its national power status achieved during John Calipari's tenure. Lappas will be expected to get the Minutemen heading back in that direction.
�That's the expectation I have,� Lappas said, �and no one will put more pressure on me than me. I'm in this to achieve excellence.�
niversity of Massachusetts Athletic Director Bob Marcum officially filled the men's basketball team's head coaching vacancy by announcing the hiring of Steve Lappas in a press conference yesterday morning.
The 47-year-old Lappas becomes the nineteenth head coach in the 92-year history of the program, and assumes his third head coaching position at the Division I collegiate level. He resigned Friday after nine seasons at the helm of Villanova, before which he coached four seasons at Manhattan College.
Lappas compiled a .613 winning percentage (174-110) with the Wildcats, including eight postseason berths and six seasons with at least 20 wins. That success apparently convinced Marcum and other UMass officials to curtail their interview process and speed up their timetable for hiring the new coach.
"When you embark on a search for a head coach, you look for a proven winner," said Marcum. "We really had no set number of candidates, and no set timeline; the University was very good at granting us the privilege to work at our own pace.
"But something changed all that. And what changed it was Steve Lappas."
Despite his success at Villanova, Lappas felt pressure from fans after his team exited this year's National Invitational Tournament (NIT) with an 18-13 record. He became aware of the UMass vacancy after pondering a move "for a couple months," and welcomed the opportunity for a fresh start.
"I left Villanova because it was time for a change for me and my family," Lappas said. "I just felt that it was a good opportunity for me not just to go somewhere else, but to go somewhere like this. I like the situation here; it's a great school, with a great arena and geographic location."
Marcum indicated that while Lappas' contract is still being negotiated, he is "recommending to the chancellor a term of five years." He also noted that incentives comprise a significant portion of the package, particularly season ticket sales. Marcum estimated the current number of season tickets sold to be around the 3,200 mark, with a potential for 5,400 total sales.
Lappas addressed a number of issues during the conference, including recruiting, scheduling and the expectations that he will likely face. The initial indication was that Lappas would bring at least a portion of his staff from Villanova with him to UMass, and the coach hinted that some of his recruits from VU may also end up in Amherst.
"We have a list of a few names that could potentially show up here," Lappas said. "If I didn't have a list, I wouldn't be doing my job."
In terms of players recruited this year by his predecessor, James "Bruiser" Flint, Lappas said that he would be making some calls later yesterday and arranging visits with the prospects next week. He claimed to have entertained shooting guard Eddie Basden on an "unofficial visit" to Villanova, and expressed optimism that at least some of Flint's recruits will likely end up on the UMass roster.
"Those kids picked UMass," Lappas said. "Don't get me wrong, Bruiser had a lot to do with it, but they picked UMass."
One of Flint's biggest complaints at the time of his resignation two weeks ago was the team's scheduling, which he said creates too tough a non-conference lineup with too many road games. Faced with questions about scheduling yesterday, Lappas appeared confident in his ability to guide the Minutemen through the slate currently set for next season.
"Every schedule in the nation has to have a balance that suits that particular program and their particular school," Lappas said. "I'm comfortable with what's on the plate for next year."
When asked how he will handle the inevitable comparisons to former UMass coach John Calipari that plagued Flint throughout his term as head coach, Lappas was quick to defend both the job his predecessor did and his own history of overcoming expectations. He cited his task in 1992 of succeeding Rollie Massimino at Villanova as preparing him for any such pressure at UMass (Massimino's Wildcats captured the school's first and only national championship in 1985, Lappas' first year as a VU assistant).
"I had a tough act to follow at Villanova, and I have a tough act to follow here," Lappas said. "Bruiser did a very good job here, both as a head coach and an assistant. It's a very tough league, but the Big East is a tough league too."
Lappas' hiring ends a weekend of intense speculation among the media, which led to some reports by major outlets that Marcum cited as erroneous. The AD made mention of one report published Sunday, which stated that he "...was leaning toward UNC Greensboro head coach Fran McCaffrey but... was told by school officials in Boston to land a bigger name coach."
"No one in Boston at any time told us that we had to go out and get a higher-profile candidate," Marcum said. "We would have continued our interview process had Steve Lappas not popped up on the radar screen."
MHERST - The University of Massachusetts may be two coaches and five years removed from the John Calipari years, but the hiring of former Villanova coach Steve Lappas - a slick, animated, proven winner - indicates that it would love to relive those days.
Lappas, who was introduced at a morning press conference yesterday at Mullins Center, agreed to a five-year deal that could be worth about $3 million with all of the perks. He quit his job at Villanova Friday knowing he had a great chance at the UMass position.
''We had no set number of candidates or time limits,'' said UMass athletic director Bob Marcum. ''Something changed that. What changed it was Steve Lappas. When Steve was available for us to pursue, it changed our timeline. We asked ourselves, `How can we improve on Steve Lappas?' We feel we couldn't. We moved everything to high gear so we could acquire him.''
Lappas, 47, expects to bring at least two of his Villanova assistants to Amherst to begin the process of retooling the program.
According to the Associated Press, Villanova will name Hofstra coach Jay Wright as Lappas's replacement today.
Lappas, who is 230-172 in 13 seasons as a Division 1 head coach (the last nine at Villanova), did not guarantee an NCAA Tournament appearance right away, but said you can judge a coach only by how his recruiting class performs in its upperclass years.
He also has a perfect record of graduating seniors, at both Manhattan and Villanova.
''UMass has a lot of things going for it academically and athletically,'' said Lappas. ''I'm an educator. I started as a high school teacher and coach. My father was a Greek immigrant who wanted me to teach. When I told him I was becoming a coach he said, `You're gonna make a living with a ball?' He couldn't understand that. But UMass has a great reputation for graduating players already in place; I just hope to continue that.''
Lappas signed a four-year extension at Villanova last year but grew tired of criticism after missing the NCAAs the last two seasons, though he went 18-13 this year.
''There's always a couple of people who criticize in those situations, but it wasn't great for my wife and kids to have to go through,'' said Lappas. ''Some of the reaction to things bothered me, especially when we had a team that was 10-2, not 2-10. The year we won the Big East championship, I got nasty letters that year.''
He said he was appreciated ''for the most part.'' There was a zing at someone in there, but Lappas wouldn't elaborate.
''I was fortunate to be at Villanova for 13 years and I'd like to thank them for the opportunity they gave me,'' he said. ''I really enjoyed the people I met and the players I coached.''
Lappas was an assistant on Rollie Massimino's team that won the NCAA championship in 1985. He left Villanova in 1988 to become head coach at Manhattan, then returned to succeed Massimino is 1993. He struggled early, but led the Wildcats to the 1994 National Invitation Tournament title and the following season went 25-8 and won the Big East tournament title.
''There's no question that making the tournament has become the goal,'' he said. ''I understand it. There's excitement. When I was there, you couldn't even sleep getting ready for a game.
''Somebody asked me about expectations. I expect to make the tournament, but I also expect if we win 18-19 games and we don't make it, that it's recognized that we're still on the right track.''
Marcum made note of Villanova sweeping Jim Calhoun's Connecticut Huskies this season.
''I know that Jim is very happy for me,'' said Lappas.
Asked whether UMass's schedule was too hard for a new coach trying to build confidence in his players, Lappas said, ''I've seen the schedule and I think it's fair.
''It doesn't mean we're going to have to have that kind of schedule in the future. It could change, but I don't know about last year's schedule and I do know that this year's is very fair.''
Yesterday afternoon, he met with his new players.
''I'm very excited,'' said Lappas. ''It's new. It's fresh. And I think something like this really rejuvenates you. There's a challenge ahead, and I think I've risen to it wherever I've gone.''
MHERST - Steve Lappas talked about graduation rates and making the NCAA Tournament, and other than Bob Marcum knocking a few microphones off the podium and Lappas' cell phone ringing in mid-speech, the press conference to name him the next men's basketball coach at the University of Massachusetts went off without a hitch.
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Lappas, 45, had coached at the Big East's Villanova for nine years before resigning Friday. He replaces Bruiser Flint, who was forced to resign March 12.
"We had not set a timeline on hiring a new coach," Marcum explained. "But when Steve Lappas was available for the university to pursue, it changed our timelines tremendously.
"We looked at the field and we said, 'How can we improve on Steve Lappas?'" Marcum continued. "We just didn't think that existed. So we immediately moved everything into high gear in order to acquire Steve Lappas."
Lappas received a five-year contract with a $175,000 base salary, with the prospect of much more from radio and TV show contracts, a deal with Nike, speaking engagements and his basketball camp.
Following Marcum at the podium, Lappas said he was excited by the opportunity.
"I think this is a very special opportunity I have here," Lappas said. "Bobby Knight had the famous quote that 'It's great to be coach at a place that's the university of something.' I have the opportunity now to coach at a state university school with a lot going for it academically and athletically."
Flint was ousted despite the fact that his team posted a record above .500, so Lappas said he knows expectations are high at UMass.
"That's our goal, to be in the NCAA Tournament and the NIT as often as we can. We're going to work as hard as we can to reach that," he said. "Expectations go with the turf. That's the nature of college basketball, and those are the expectations people have and those are the expectations that I have.
"No one can put more pressure on me than me. No one," he continued. "I got into this to achieve excellence and when you don't, there's no amount of fan displeasure that's going to give me more displeasure than what I'm going to give myself. When you have that, the stuff on the outside doesn't really get to you."
Lappas, 45, resigned at Villanova Friday after an 18-13 season that finished with an 87-78 loss to Minnesota in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. He was 174-110 in nine years at Villanova, with four trips to the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 1999. He averaged 19.2 wins per year there. He was an assistant coach under Rollie Massimino on the Wildcats' 1985 national championship team.
Lappas wasn't specific about why he decided to leave Villanova.
"I felt it was time for a change for me and my family. I was there nine years and we had a lot of success there, but I just thought it was a good opportunity to go somewhere else," he said. "And not just somewhere else, somewhere like this."
His overall coaching record is 230-172, including a four-year stint at Manhattan College.
Villanova produced NBA players Tim Thomas, Kerry Kittles, Jason Lawson and Alvin Williams during Lappas' tenure there.
As proud as Lappas was of his player development, he stressed his own pride in their academic success as well.
"We've been fortunate enough in my 13 years that every player that has been a senior in our program has graduated, both when I was at Manhattan and Villanova," he said. "That's very, very important to me. I'm an educator."
He's inheriting a program with similar success in the classroom.
"UMass has done a tremendous job with its graduation rate before I got here," he said. "I just want to continue that tradition."
Lappas told the assembled crowd what kind of team it could expect from him.
"Unselfish. We take good shots consistently. We move the ball. We usually shoot a very good field-goal percentage," he began. "Defensively, we've been a very good halfcourt team, although we weren't this year. Usually we're a very good, solid man-to-man defensive team. And we play hard. You can take all that other stuff and throw it out the window if you're not playing hard."
Lappas said he's only somewhat familiar with UMass' personnel, but that he's heard good things.
"I'm hoping we have some guys that can shoot some threes. Perimeter shooting is always something that you need," he said. "I think from what I know about the program that there are some guys that didn't play that much last year that they say can shoot.
"I think the inside game as I see it is very, very good," he continued. "The (Anthony) Anderson kid who sat out last year, I hear great things about him at guard. Hopefully we're going to be a good enough 3-point shooting team, because that's one part of what I like to do."
Lappas deftly sidestepped the schedule controversy that drove a wedge between Flint and Marcum.
"Every schedule in the nation has to have a balance that fits your particular school," Lappas said. "Those are the things that Bob and I have spoken about and will continue to speak about," he said. "I don't know what last year's schedule was, but I've seen next year's schedule and it's a fair schedule."
Lappas didn't know which of his assistant coaches at Villanova will join him in Amherst.
"It's something that we're working on," he said. "I'm guessing that at least a couple of them will come up here."
MHERST - Micah Brand will be a Minuteman next year. The 6-foot-11 sophomore big man denied rumors Monday that he was considering a transfer after the University of Massachusetts forced Bruiser Flint to resign as head men's basketball coach.
Brand and his teammates met new head coach Steve Lappas for the first time at a meeting in the Mullins Center locker room Monday. Shortly after, Brand said there isn't, and never was, truth to the rumor.
"I'm not going anywhere," Brand said. "A lot of people have asked me if I'm transferring. I'm staying right here."
Brand and Lappas both said that Monday's meeting was just the beginning of building a bond between coach and players.
"It's hard," Lappas said. "I've been in this situation a couple of times. It's not easy for them. The hardest thing for a coach is to go into a situation where these are your players but you don't know them. It takes time.
"I introduced myself to them and I told them I know how hard it is. They're sitting there saying, 'Who am I?', and I'm sitting there saying, 'Who are you?'"
"He didn't really get into too much stuff," Brand said. "He just wanted introduce himself to us. He's going to be back next week, then he'll meet with us individually."
"It was pretty brief," said junior guard Shannon Crooks. "He told us he understood how we felt about Bru and that he was leaving someplace too. He said we all have to be together to move forward."
Lappas plans to spend plenty of time with the players away from the court.
"I have the kids over my house a lot," Lappas said. "My wife gets involved with dinners and things like that. We've always been able to use those exempted trips to build chemistry and things like that."
Freshman point guard Anthony Anderson, who sat out last year as an academic nonqualifier, was recruited by Villanova, making him a little more comfortable than other players with Lappas.
"I kind of knew him already, because they were recruiting me," said Anderson, who reiterated his decision to stay. "That made it a little easier."
Freshman swingman Jameel Pugh said Lappas got the players' attention by telling them to take off their hats indoors.
"At first, the guys were like, 'Whoa,'" Pugh said. "But it showed he has some structure."
More important, though, Pugh thinks Lappas will communicate well with the players.
"In some programs you never deal with the head coach except at practice and at games," Pugh said. "(Lappas) told us about all his former players that still call him, and it seemed like he'd be a coach you could talk to."
Lappas encouraged the players to maintain their relationship with Flint.
"I told them, 'I want you to keep your good relationship with Bru. You should. He was your coach,'" Lappas said.
Brand said everyone is glad a new coach was in place.
"It is a little easier knowing coach Lappas is going to be the coach now, and he can start getting things together," Brand said. "It allows you to focus on what's going on for next season."
Crooks, who played AAU ball with Mike Bradley, who was an All-American with Villanova this year, said he planned to talk with his former teammate about his new coach.
Crooks said Bradley told UMass guard Jonathan DePina that Lappas' players "loved him."
Bradley's father David was at Monday's press conference at UMass as a show of support for Lappas.
After meeting with the players, Lappas' next task was to begin trying to convince Eddie Basden, Jeremiah King and Maurecio Branwell, who signed letters of intent to play at UMass in the fall, to come to Amherst even without Flint.
"The first thing I'm going to do tonight is call the kids," Lappas said. "Then next week after the Final Four, I will go and visit with the kids and their families."
Lappas recruited Basden heavily last summer, which might help his chances of retaining him.
"I know a lot about Eddie," Lappas said. "I saw him a lot this summer. He came to Villanova on an unofficial visit."
Whether or not any of the trio decides to come, Lappas already has some potential players in mind to recruit.
"I have some names that could show up here," Lappas said. "We have lists. We always have lists."
MHERST - Steve Lappas is heading someplace warm Tuesday. The new University of Massachusetts men's basketball coach promised his family a vacation, and today they depart for "someplace real warm," Lappas said.
He should enjoy it and relax as much as he can, because a sizable task awaits his return.
Obviously, the ideal scenario for a coach taking a new job is to replace someone who finished 3-28 or something similar. Expectations are low and opportunity high. There is nowhere to go but up, and any success will be rejoiced.
Equally obvious is that to replace a coach who was terrific is nearly as difficult, because any dropoff is blamed on the replacement.
Following Bruiser Flint at UMass doesn't fall into either category: The now-former Minuteman coach was neither historical nor horrible. Flint was at or above .500 in four of his five seasons, but didn't win quite enough to satisfy administration or fans.
Logic dictates that Flint's forced departure means the university thought it could find someone better.
Based on circumstances alone, it won't be easy for the new coach to fare better than Flint for the 2001-02 season.
Even if all the current players return (no guarantee), the talented would-be incoming recruits are now all but gone, leaving Lappas with last year's team, except for 2,000-point scorer Monty Mack.
Lappas will try to convince Eddie Basden, Maurecio Branwell, and Jeremiah King - the three recruits who reportedly have asked to be released since Flint's firing - to reconsider.
If Lappas is unsuccessful there, he needs to beat the recruiting bushes quickly to try to replace them.
Despite that difficult scenario, the program can't move backward or the fans will turn on Lappas quickly. If the Internet chat rooms and talk radio are any indication, they're already skeptical. The dividing line is this year's .500 mark, 15-15. Better that, and Lappas buys time and support. Sink beneath it and the rumbling starts.
Lappas talked about three seasons as the natural time-frame for a full-fledged turnaround, an estimate he admitted was conservative.
"When I first got the job at Manhattan, I said you need your first recruiting class to become juniors; that's when you can tell where you're at," Lappas said. "Fortunately, at Villanova, things went much faster. So three years is what I'll say. My goal is for it to happen faster."
For his sake, it better, because the fans won't likely give him that long.
UMass hockey coach Don Cahoon is in the midst of a honeymoon period this year, because he took over a program that has struggled. Football coach Mark Whipple would have had a similar grace period in 1998, but he won the Division I-AA national championship his first year.
That success set the bar pretty high for first-year coaches at UMass. Fans will, at least subconsciously, compare Lappas' efforts to those achievements.
So he should enjoy the warmth this week. New England sports fans can be as tough and unpredictable as the climate, and Lappas likely will have to face both.
