Buzz Williams named new head coach
Former assistant replaces Crean
By Steve Yanda
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A press conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday to introduce Williams, 35, at the Al McGuire Center.
In a phone interview late Monday night, Broeker said Williams met with members of the men's basketball team after signing on to become the squad's next head coach.
"He's obviously very excited," Broeker said of Williams. "He understands the challenges and opportunities in front of him. We believe he is the perfect guy for us."
After spending one season as the head coach at New Orleans, Williams joined Crean's coaching staff as an assistant last summer. The Privateers went 14-17 with Williams at the helm during the 2006-'07 season.
Considered to be a strong recruiter, Williams played an integral role in the signings of many members of Marquette's incoming 2008-'09 class. Several of those players, including Tyshawn Taylor, Joseph Fulce and Chris Otule, publicly declared reservations about their decisions to choose Marquette after news broke last week of Crean's departure. Taylor is reported to have requested a release from the school.
Prior to his brief head coaching stint, Williams served as an assistant coach under Billy Gillispie at Texas A&M from 2004-'06. Williams is a native of Van Alstyne, Texas and has established deep recruiting roots throughout the state.
Athletic Director Steve Cottingham said Wednesday at a press conference called to address Crean's departure that the search for a new head coach would not be framed by any particular timetable.
And yet, just five days after making those remarks, Marquette found the man it believes can maintain continuity throughout the program and continue to build on the success experienced over the better part of the past decade.
Published: 4/8/08 Section: Sports
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
1997 Alum
posted 4/08/08 @ 9:25 AM CST
A swing and a miss! The best we could do was a coach with one year of experience and a sub-500 record? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Buzz but Cottingham must go! Fire Cottingham!
Alum
posted 4/08/08 @ 10:19 AM CST
OH MY GOD.
Seconded "Fire Cottingham!"
I had hopes. MU Administration dashes them again. I am done done with all donations. What a joke.
Alum
posted 4/08/08 @ 10:22 AM CST
"We've already begun the search; we're out there aggressively. We've developed a short list of names," Marquette Athletic Director Steve Cottingham said. (Continued…)
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