When Marianna Freeman resigned as Syracuse women’s basketball head coach March 18, SU Director of Athletics Jake Crouthamel said a new coach would be hired ‘as soon as possible.”

A funny thing halted the swift hiring of SU’s next coach — Syracuse’s men’s basketball national championship.

The Orangemen’s run to the title cluttered Crouthamel’s schedule, dropping the search for a new coach a few notches lower on his priority list. Crouthamel said the men’s tournament resulted in a two-week delay in hiring Freeman’s replacement.

‘Because of the tournament, we are two weeks behind schedule,’ Crouthamel said. ‘It would have been impossible to interview candidates and unfair to the interviewee had we conducted interviews.’

Crouthamel added he’s refocused on finding a new coach.

‘That process could take two weeks,’ Crouthamel said. ‘I would hope it would take no longer than two weeks.’

Syracuse has interviewed one candidate, Crouthamel said, but he declined to name that person. He added Syracuse will not make any announcement concerning Freeman’s replacement until a final decision has been made.

Though only one candidate has been interviewed, Crouthamel said Syracuse has contacted multiple schools to inquire about receiving permission to speak with their head coaches.

Syracuse contacted Tulsa about speaking to head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller before the Final Four, Tulsa Director of Athletics Judy MacLeod said through an assistant. But McConnell-Miller withdrew her name from consideration for the Syracuse opening, MacLeod added.

McConnell-Miller has 12 years of Division I coaching experience as an assistant and head coach, the last four years coming at Tulsa as a head coach. This season, Tulsa finished 14-16.

Syracuse prefers its new coach have five years Division I experience. Crouthamel said all candidates contacted thus far have met that requirement, and he expects his choice will be in accordance with the five-year standard.

‘If we get to the point where we can’t identify a candidate that we like, we may have to void our preference and expand the field a little bit more,’ Crouthamel said. ‘I don’t believe that’s going to be the case, that we’re going to have to look less than the scope proposed in the position description. I think we’re going to be able to meet those terms.’

Published on April 21, 2003 at 12:00 pm