Post by portpasses on Apr 20, 2006 9:06:17 GMT -5
INDIANA -- Indiana (Pa.) University moved closer to playing Division I basketball by hiring Pitt assistant Joe Lombardi as its new head coach.
"With a coach with the last name of Lombardi, how could you go wrong?" Indians athletic director Frank Condino said at a news conference Wednesday.
Lombardi, 46, accepted his first head coaching position after 24 seasons as an assistant, including spending the past three helping head coach Jamie Dixon lead the Panthers to a 76-22 record and three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths.
"I don't think of myself as a miracle worker," Lombardi said. "It's more like putting one foot in front of the other.
"I've wanted to be a head coach for a lot of years, but at the same time, I've been content at Pitt."
The Indians play an NCAA Division II schedule, but school president Tony Atwater confirmed the program is studying the benefits of moving up to Division I. The football program also is studying a move to Division I-AA.
"Division I is something I've decided to not take off the table," Atwater said. "If you don't have dreams, you can't accomplish great things."
Atwater said the basketball program won't move next season but could make the transition in a couple of years.
"It's still on the table at this point," he said. "We are exploring interest."
Atwater said Lombardi "will have no problem filling those shoes," if the new job leads him back to Division I.
Lombardi said his decision didn't hinge on the Division I opportunity.
"But I don't see any reasons why we can't be successful as a Division I team," he said.
Lombardi replaces Gary Edwards, who stepped down following a 19-9 season in which the Indians qualified for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference playoffs for the 13th time in the past 14 years.
"I'm not looking at it as I have to win 25 games this season," Lombardi said. "I'm looking to build a program."
Lacking the big centers that often dominate the Big East, Lombardi said he'll adjust his coaching style.
"You don't have as many big guys in Division II, so the floor is spread out a little more," he said. "We'll play tough and physical. We'll shoot the three, and we're going to run with the ball and run with a purpose."
IUP's 6-foot-8 junior center Adeniyi Amadou said he's looking forward to learning Lombardi's system.
"Obviously, coming from the Big East, he knows what he's doing, and he comes in with a lot of credibility," Amadou said.
However, Lombardi said he's not counting on his Pitt background for credibility with his new players.
"I'm counting on being straightforward with them," he said.
Lombardi served as an IUP assistant for three seasons until 1987. He helped the Indians turn a 12-15 record the previous season into a 17-10 mark in 1984-85.
"I don't want to sound like the chamber of commerce, but my impression was that (Indiana) was a great place to work and live," he said. "Even though there are 14,000 students, it never quite seemed that big."
Lombardi said he hasn't made any decisions on assistant coaches.
"With a coach with the last name of Lombardi, how could you go wrong?" Indians athletic director Frank Condino said at a news conference Wednesday.
Lombardi, 46, accepted his first head coaching position after 24 seasons as an assistant, including spending the past three helping head coach Jamie Dixon lead the Panthers to a 76-22 record and three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths.
"I don't think of myself as a miracle worker," Lombardi said. "It's more like putting one foot in front of the other.
"I've wanted to be a head coach for a lot of years, but at the same time, I've been content at Pitt."
The Indians play an NCAA Division II schedule, but school president Tony Atwater confirmed the program is studying the benefits of moving up to Division I. The football program also is studying a move to Division I-AA.
"Division I is something I've decided to not take off the table," Atwater said. "If you don't have dreams, you can't accomplish great things."
Atwater said the basketball program won't move next season but could make the transition in a couple of years.
"It's still on the table at this point," he said. "We are exploring interest."
Atwater said Lombardi "will have no problem filling those shoes," if the new job leads him back to Division I.
Lombardi said his decision didn't hinge on the Division I opportunity.
"But I don't see any reasons why we can't be successful as a Division I team," he said.
Lombardi replaces Gary Edwards, who stepped down following a 19-9 season in which the Indians qualified for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference playoffs for the 13th time in the past 14 years.
"I'm not looking at it as I have to win 25 games this season," Lombardi said. "I'm looking to build a program."
Lacking the big centers that often dominate the Big East, Lombardi said he'll adjust his coaching style.
"You don't have as many big guys in Division II, so the floor is spread out a little more," he said. "We'll play tough and physical. We'll shoot the three, and we're going to run with the ball and run with a purpose."
IUP's 6-foot-8 junior center Adeniyi Amadou said he's looking forward to learning Lombardi's system.
"Obviously, coming from the Big East, he knows what he's doing, and he comes in with a lot of credibility," Amadou said.
However, Lombardi said he's not counting on his Pitt background for credibility with his new players.
"I'm counting on being straightforward with them," he said.
Lombardi served as an IUP assistant for three seasons until 1987. He helped the Indians turn a 12-15 record the previous season into a 17-10 mark in 1984-85.
"I don't want to sound like the chamber of commerce, but my impression was that (Indiana) was a great place to work and live," he said. "Even though there are 14,000 students, it never quite seemed that big."
Lombardi said he hasn't made any decisions on assistant coaches.
