Northwestern Fires Bill Carmody, Looks For Coach to Take Cats To Next Level
By Benjy Lipsman in News on Mar 18, 2013 2:30PM
Northwestern fired men's basketball coach Bill Carmody over the weekend. His firing came on the heels of a first round exit in the Big Ten Tournament at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes, a 4-14 Big Ten mark and a 13-19 overall record.
Despite high hopes in recent years, the Wildcats failed to reach the NCAA Tournament during Carmody's 13-year tenure. They remain the sole team from the six power conferences to never to make the field — now 74 years and counting.
Carmody came to Northwestern in 2000 after four years at Princeton, where he served under legendary coach Pete Carril and compiled a 92-25 as head coach.
During Saturday's press conference, Northwestern Athletic Director Jim Phillips laid out what he wants in his new coach, "He is seeking someone who understands NU’s unique culture, will enjoy being on the road recruiting, act in an ethical manner with a desire to graduate his student athletes and has the tools to raise the program to “a new level.”
As Northwestern begins their search for a new coach, Duke assistant Chris Collins would appear to top the list. The Northbrook native and Glenbrook North star has coached alongside legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski since 2000 and would appear to meet most of Phillips' criteria. The Blue Devils have remained among the nation's elite basketball programs for decades despite its status as a top academic, private university and Collins has proven to be an effective recruiter, helping lure top Chicago preps like Jon Scheyer and Jabari Parker to Durham, North Carolina.
Others receiving early mention as possible candidates include Valparaiso coach Bryce Drew, Bucknell's Dave Paulsen, and Harvard's Tommy Amaker. Some potential coaches with ties to Northwestern include Wright State’s Billy Donlon, another former GBN star whose father was a Northwestern assistant from 1987 to 1994, as well as Oregon St.'s Craig Robinson. The brother of first lady Michelle Obama, Robinson who played under Carril and Carmody at Princeton, and coached on Carmody's staff from 2000 until 2006, when he left Northwestern to become head coach at Brown.