Friday, June 3, 2011

BREAKING NEWS: Chambers leaves BU to coach at Penn State

By René Reyes and Craig Meyer/DFP Staff

In an announcement that was bound to come sooner rather than later, Patrick Chambers has accepted the head coaching position at Penn State University, the school confirmed in a press release today.

Brian Daily, Chambers' former assistant coach at Boston University, has been appointed the interim head coach of the Terriers for the moment, but the school will conduct a nationwide search to find Chambers' replacement.

The following is the press release from BU athletics:

BOSTON - Boston University assistant vice president and director of athletics Mike Lynch announced today that head men's basketball coach Patrick Chambers has accepted the head coach position at Big Ten member Penn State. Lynch also announced that BU associate head coach Brian Daly has been named interim head coach. A national search for the program's 25th head coach will begin immediately.

"I would like to thank Pat for his contributions to Boston University and to our men's basketball program," said Lynch. "As our head coach, he helped return BU to its winning tradition. We have a very bright future and I am confident that we will find a replacement who will continue to build on our tradition of excellence."

Daly has been a member of Chambers' coaching staff for the past two years and was promoted to associate head coach in May 2010.

"Brian Daly was an easy choice to assume the interim head coach position while a search is conducted," said Lynch. "He has been involved in all aspects of the program's operation and will provide a smooth transition to the next phase of Terrier basketball."

Chambers led the Terriers to back-to-back postseason appearances and America East Championship berths while becoming the first coach in program history to earn at least 20 wins in each of his first two years. This past season, BU hosted its first conference title game since 2003 and earned its first NCAA berth since 2002 (seventh overall) with a 56-54 victory over Stony Brook in front of an energized fan base at Agganis Arena.

Chambers compiled a 42-28 (.600) overall record and a 23-9 (.719) mark in league action. In the months of February and March, he was 21-4 (.840) after leading the Terriers to the semifinals of the 2010 CBI tournament and the second round of the 2011 NCAAs.

A native of Philadelphia, Chambers will be returning to his home state and coaching at a school where several family members and friends graduated from.

We'll have more details later on this breaking story, including any notices on BU's search for a new head coach.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

what a douche move on his part....why did we hire you in the first place if you were just going to leave after 24 months???

Anonymous said...

"we're going to build the gonzaga of the east, unless i get an offer for a job that is somehow worse than the naval academy post...in which case you're on your own." -- coach chambers to jake o'brien when convincing him not to transfer after his freshman year

Anonymous said...

I do feel betrayed but BU can do better...

Anonymous said...

glad you signed your extension and can keep your family in one place for the forseeable future..... or NOT?! Penn State?... Really? Here's to years of being in the cellar of the Big 10!

Anonymous said...

Its is unfortunate but true that many alum would give more money to the school if the basketball program were a national power (I won't even bring up football). This is just a fact of life and one that John Silber and his ilk never understood. As soon as someone at the University figures this out you would see alum giving increase exponentially. I'm not saying I agree with it - just the way it is. Freep needs to explore this.