The University of Massachusetts says a national search for a new men’s basketball coach is already under way.
The news came shortly after UMass’ loss this week in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament: after nine years, Derek Kellogg is out as coach of the Minutemen.
Although he finished with an overall winning record, only one of Kellogg’s teams reached the NCAA tournament — a far cry from the team’s 1990s prominence, when Kellogg, a Springfield native, starred as point guard.
UMass Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford says he expects to attract top candidates to fill the position.
“We’ve got to get it to a high level, and that’s going to happen in a couple different ways, and then once we get there, we’ve got to sustain it,” he said. “And that’s hard. That’s sometimes harder than getting it there.”
Kellogg made about $1 million a year as Massachusetts’ highest-paid state worker and will receive a two-year buyout.
UMass has hired Fogler Consulting to assist in the search.
