UNCG hires search firm to find men's basketball coach : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

GREENSBORO — UNCG has hired a firm to aid in the search of a men’s basketball coach, athletics director Kim Record said today.

Record said the school used Academic Search, a firm out of Washington, whose senior consultant David Braine, the former AD at Georgia Tech, led the effort. Record said there are no plans to make an announcement until the current season is over.

UNCG fired head coach Mike Dement in December and gave assistant Wes Miller the position of interim coach. Miller is being considered for the job along with a list of applicants.

“We will take our time,” Record said. “We’re in the process right now, and obviously we’re in the middle of a season. Wes has had a lot of success, and he has given all the success to his players who remain focused, as is his staff.”

Miller took over a team that had lost eight of its first 10 games. UNCG lost in each of Miller’s first six games before UNCG won its next seven. Entering tonight's game against College of Charleston, UNCG has won nine of 10 games, all in the Southern Conference, to take the lead in the North Division standings.

“This is an attractive job, and we’ve talked to a lot of people,” Record said.

Record told WUNC radio this week she was looking for coach who is “young and aggressive.” Miller, 29, is the youngest men’s college basketball coach in the country.

“He has done some very remarkable things in the short term,” Record told WUNC. “But I have to look at what is best for the basketball program in the long term. What I’d like to see is a head basketball coach who fills a lot of roles, winning and being competitive is a huge component.”

Contact Ed Hardin at 373-7069 or ed.hardin@news-record.com

rando

February 16, 2012 - 7:34 am EST

WHY ? ? ? I'm not a fan of UNC-G, so I don't have a dog in the hunt, but why would the school waste money to hire a search firm when it appears they have a highly competent coach on board? Simply remove the word "interim" and let him get on about business. And if, in the future, he fails to be productive, do what you would do with a coach "discovered" by a search firm - fire him. But the concept of having to apply for a job you are already doing, and doing quite well, simply stated, stinks.

glenwood11

February 16, 2012 - 11:19 pm EST

Rando — You're right on the money. They are wasting money when they already have one of the best young coaches in basketball. I guess there's money to blow when you cut your wrestling program. But I (UNCG '07) do have a dog in the hunt and it pains me to see this.
Not only should Wes Miller be made the full time coach, they should do what they can to lock him up for a few years before he goes to a bigger school. UNCG is just a stepping stone for this guy, but instead of showing any appreciation that he's led your traditionally underachieving basketball team to its best season in years Kim Record pays a posse to round up the best ole ball coach for the "attractive job" she has to offer.
Record herself says Miller's "done some very remarkable things in the short term." Well then act like it!
She also says Miller gives all the credit to his players and staff. The Spartans have some talent, no doubt about it. But talent has never been an issue. They've always had good players. Fran McCaffery was responsible for bringing in talents like Ricky Hickman, Ronnie Burrell and one of the greatest college players of all-time (check the numbers) in Kyle Hines. But then the school hired Mike Dement again in 2005 (not Record's fault) and have underachieved until December, when he resigned. Sorry Ed Hardin, maybe you're just like me and have been waiting for him to be fired.
UNCG has been great at soccer for years, but nobody cares. When your school doesn't have football, you need to be competitive in men's basketball. There's no excuse not to be. With Miller, UNCG may finally have that chance if they let the guy stay and recruit his own players. He's on this run with players who signed to play for Dement, who is not a bad coach, but just never seemed to get the most out of his teams. It's obvious the way these kids have responded that they enjoy playing for Miller.
I guess Spartan fans need to just enjoy this run and hope for a SoCon tourney victory to get an automatic bid. That seems to be the only way Kim Record will decide to lift the interim tag. If she doesn't get her head on straight soon, there will be a plenty of schools who will appreciate his services, then maybe we can hire Dement for a third time and enjoy another run of mediocre seasons...get a freakin' clue.

Apple

February 23, 2012 - 3:50 pm EST

UNC Greensboro should give Miller a two year deal.....They really know how to waste monet there.

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