UNLV still trying to fill the bill

Steve Addy

Tuesday, March 27, 2001 | 9:39 a.m.

Division I coaching changes

Listed with new coach (old coach in parentheses):

Denver -- TBA (Marty Fletcher, fired)

Drexel -- TBA (Steve Seymour, fired)

Duquesne -- TBA (Darelle Porter, resigned)

Florida A&M -- TBA (Mickey Clayton, fired)

Idaho -- Leonard Perry (David Farrar, fired)

La Salle -- TBA (Speedy Morris, fired)

Louisville -- Rick Pitino (Denny Crum, retired)

Massachusetts -- Steve Lappas (Bruiser Flint, resigned)

Michigan -- TBA (Brian Ellerbe, fired)

Morgan State -- TBA (Chris Fuller, fired)

New Orleans -- TBA (Joey Stiebing, fired)

North Texas -- TBA (Vic Trilli, fired)

Northeastern -- TBA (Rudy Keeling, fired)

Northern Iowa -- TBA (Sam Weaver, resigned)

Ohio -- TBA (Larry Hunter, fired)

Old Dominion -- TBA (Jeff Capel, resigned)

Portland -- TBA (Rob Chavez, fired)

Rhode Island -- Jim Baron (Jerry DeGregorio, resigned)

Rutgers -- TBA (Kevin Bannon, fired)

St. Mary's, Calif. -- TBA (David Bollwinkel, resigned)

South Carolina -- TBA (Eddie Fogler, resigned)

Southern -- TBA (Tommy Green, reassigned)

Tennessee -- TBA (Jerry Green, resigned)

Texas Southern -- TBA (Robert Moreland, fired)

Texas Tech -- Bob Knight (James Dickey, fired)

Towson -- TBA (Mike Jaskulski, fired)

Villanova -- Jay Wright (Steve Lappas, resigned)

Wisconsin -- TBA (Brad Soderberg, fired)

The dominoes are starting to fall. The basketball coaching vacancies at Villanova, UMass and Rhode Island were all filled Monday.

Rick Pitino is settling in at Louisville, and even Bobby Knight has found gainful employment deep in the heart of Texas (Tech).

But UNLV is still browsing the market, despite being the first job opening of the season, and the Rebels' competition remains stiff. Among 22 other Division I openings are major conference positions at Michigan, Wisconsin, Tennessee and South Carolina.

But Rebels athletic director Charlie Cavagnaro said his coaching search is progressing, and he intends to have the job filled soon.

"We're getting down to it. There are only three games left in the season, so things are going to shake themselves out," Cavagnaro said Monday. "That doesn't mean it will happen this week, but we'll be a lot closer."

Cavagnaro declined comment about specific candidates, but sources familiar with the search said the leading targets are Purdue's Gene Keady and Pitt's Ben Howland. Other coaches who have been contacted are Jerry Green, who resigned from Tennessee last week, and former St. Louis coach Charlie Spoonhour.

However, Keady said he hasn't been contacted about the job.

"I'm thinking about next season (at Purdue)," he told the Indianapolis Star on Monday.

Howland is said to be preparing to meet with Cavagnaro this week, but the Pitt coach said that reports linking him to UNLV are "all speculation." The 43-year-old coached the Panthers to a 19-14 record this season and is 113-88 in seven seasons as a Division I head coach.

Pitt reached the championship game of the Big East tournament for the first time this season and advanced to the second round of the NIT.

"I feel I'm in a great situation (at Pitt). There is a lot more to do here," Howland told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It's flattering when your name comes up for a job, because it means people are recognizing your program. It's a compliment, really.

"But we're trying to build something here. That's what I'm concerned with. I want to continue trying to get things better, and I'm committed to doing that."