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[50's PONY]

Copeland, committee searching for coach


By Kelly Larkan
Contributing Writer
March 23, 2004


After the termination of men’s head basketball coach Mike Dement on Feb. 27, SMU Athletic Director Jim Copeland and a 15-person committee began interviewing several candidates to find a successor.

Copeland and the committee have their eyes on include Jimmy Tubbs of Oklahoma, Doug Wojcik of Michigan State, Norm Roberts of Kansas and John Treloar of Indiana.

Copeland has received many resumes from other candidates, including Lincoln High School coach Leonard Bishop.

With the beginning of the NCAA and NIT playoffs the selection process may face a delay.

With coaches such as James Dickey, an assistant coach at Oklahoma State University, Roberts and Treloar, whose teams are still in the playoffs, SMU may have to wait until the NCAA competitions are over before interviewing the ideal new coach.

Although Copeland will not provide a list of potential candidates, he has been imprssed with the credentials of the candidates he has met with so far.

After Copeland’s initial conversations with potential coaches, he brought together a committee to help him narrow the field of qualified applicants.

The committee, which includes a diverse group of SMU trustees, faculty, staff and student-athletes, interviews candidates at an undisclosed location in order to keep this matter confidential.

“We don’t know anything,” junior player Eric Castro said.

“We are just lifting weights and playing pick-up on our own time,” he said.

At this time the committee has no comment on the progress.

According to the players, the list of candidates changes everyday, but Copeland’s committee plans to narrow the list to two or three finalists by Friday.

The Mustangs continue the off-season under the direction of the interim head coach Robert Lineburg.

As far as the team goes there isn’t much it can do or say about the current situation.

Like fans, they have no choice but to wait for a decision that is ultimately up to Copeland and the committee.

“I’m anxious to see who they bring in,” sophomore player Brian Miller said.

“I want to see what plans the new coach will have and how we can change things up,” he said.




Copeland, committee searching for coach
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