Bulls Hire Woolridge As Assist.

Jim Woolridge is resigning as Louisiana Tech basketball coach to join the coaching staff of the Chicago Bulls, where he will work with his former Tech teammate, Tim Floyd.

"I've got mixed emotions about leaving Tech because I believe we've raised the level of the program to a competitive level and that our best teams could be coming up," Woolrdige said.

Keith Richard, who joined the Tech staff as an assistant in 1994, was hired to replace Woolridge.

Woolridge began coaching at his alma mater, Northeast Louisiana, in 1984, leaving in 1986 for Marshall. He helped Marshall win two Southern Conference championships and one conference tournament. Marshall went to one NCAA tournament and made an NIT appearance while Richard was there.

Richard returned to Northeast in 1989 and spent five years there before taking the job at Tech.

" I've waited 14 years for this moment," Richard said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. "Now I'm ready for phase two."

Wooldridge was also at the news conference, confirming that he plans to join his former Louisiana Tech teammate, Tim Floyd, on the Bulls staff.

"I've always wanted to coach at the highest level and you can't get much higher than the Bulls," Wooldridge said.

Wooldridge and Floyd were teammates at Tech during the mid 1970s. Floyd was recently appointed director of basketball operations for the Bulls and is expected to become coach after the NBA lockout.

In four years at Tech, Wooldridge compiled a 52-59 record. He coached at Southwest Texas State before going to Tech in 1994. His career coaching record is 229-147.

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