(Photo Credit: GoBonnies.com)
By Chuckie Maggio @chuckiemaggio
St. Bonaventure Director of Athletics Tim Kenney told The Intrepid Friday that he has been talking with men’s basketball coach Mark Schmidt about a restructured contract for over a month.
Schmidt’s name has been floated around as a possible candidate to fill the Pittsburgh coaching vacancy, while he reportedly interviewed for the Central Florida position before Johnny Dawkins was hired. Rumors that Mick Cronin could be hired at UNLV have led to speculation about the Cincinnati job opening as well.
Kenney and his staff are committed to making sure Schmidt, who just completed his ninth season as SBU head coach, is in Olean for years to come.
“At this time of the year, the coaching carousel causes consternation among many programs with great coaches. St. Bonaventure is no different,” Kenney said. “Mark and I have been talking for over a month on restructuring his contract to ensure that he and his family are happy and he does not need to move on to another program that may lure him with more money.”
Schmidt is third on Bonaventure’s all-time coaching wins list with 146 and led the program to its first Atlantic 10 regular season title this season. Forbes named him the nation’s best coach for the money in 2013.
“Coaching rumors are just that: rumors,” Kenney said. “What I can tell you is Mark knows how much SBU and myself in particular value him as our basketball coach and that we want him to be our coach.
“Any other noise is just that: noise.”
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