Majerus to resign

Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2004 | 11:32 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah men's basketball coach Rick Majerus was hospitalized with heart problems and will resign after the season, the school announced this morning.

Majerus, who will turn 56 next month, felt chest pains Tuesday night and contacted a cardiologist in Santa Barbara, Calif., where he went for treatment.

"He's stepping down, definitely, at the end of the season," Utah spokesman Mike Lageschulte told The Associated Press. "If he's doing better and can come back he will, but right now he definitely won't coach beyond this year."

Assistant coach Kerry Rupp will take over coaching duties in the interim for the Utes, who are 15-5 and have lost two consecutive games. Their next game is Saturday at home against BYU.

Majerus' longtime friend and legal counsel Bob Henderson confirmed the story to the Salt Lake Tribune.

"Health permitting, Rick would like to come back and take this team as far as it can go," Henderson said, "but in any event, under any circumstance, the Utes' last game this season is Rick's last game as Utah head men's basketball coach."

Majerus has a 323-95 record in 15 season at Utah and a 422-124 career record in 20 seasons as a head coach. He has never had a losing season and has taken the Utes to the NCAA tournament 10 times. His 1997-98 team lost to Kentucky in the national championship game.