Arizona names Pennell interim men's hoops coach
Sports Network | October 24, 2008
Tucson, AZ (Sports Network) - Arizona named Russ Pennell interim men's basketball coach on Friday, officially tabbing the man who will replace, at least for this season, legendary coach Lute Olson.
The 74-year-old Olson retired on Thursday, ending his 25-year reign at the helm of the Wildcats. Associate head coach Mike Dunlap and assistant coach Reggie Geary will remain in their current positions on the Arizona coaching staff.
UA athletic director Jim Livengood stated Thursday that the school will soon begin a national search for a permanent replacement, but Pennell will take over in the meantime.
"Russ is a veteran assistant coach with a wealth of coaching experience," said Livengood. "His experience of working in three of the best basketball conferences in the nation will serve us well."
Pennell, 47, returned to college basketball when he joined the Arizona coaching staff in May 2008 after spending the last two seasons running a basketball league in the Phoenix area. His most recent coaching position was as an assistant for Arizona State from 1998-2006.
While working for the Sun Devils under coach Rob Evans, the program amassed a 119-120 record that included an NCAA Tournament berth in 2003 and three trips to the N.I.T.
"This is an exciting opportunity for me," said Pennell. "I look forward to the challenge of leading this program. As the son of a former coach and one who has spent his life around the game of basketball, I'm humbled to get a chance to lead such a storied program."
The Wildcats are coming off a disappointing campaign in Olson's absence in which they went 19-15, 8-10 in the Pac-10, with former Olson assistant Kevin O'Neill at the helm. Arizona finished in seventh place in the Pac-10 -- its worst finish since 1982-83, the season before Olson started at Arizona -- but still ran its streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament berths to 24.
Arizona was eliminated in the first round by West Virginia.
O'Neill was designated Olson's successor last season, but that offer was rescinded after Olson announced he was returning. O'Neill, an assistant to Olson for four seasons prior to the 2007-08 campaign and from 1986-89, left the program and took a job as an assistant coach with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies.
The Wildcats open this season on November 17 against Florida Atlantic.
