Harrick Jr. Also Out At URI
Ties between the Harrick family and the University of Rhode Island have been officially severed.
Assistant basketball coach Jim Harrick Jr. resigned over the weekend, according to school spokesman Mike Ballweg.
Ballweg does not know where the younger Harrick will go next, but The Providence Journal reported he is being considered for an assistant's position at Gonzaga.
On June 30, Harrick's contract expired and was not renewed. Instead, the contract was extended one month. That provision ended over the weekend.
"Senior has gone down to Georgia and junior has gone now, too," Ballweg said.
On April 1, Jim Harrick Sr. left Rhode Island to accept the head coaching position at the University of Georgia. He hesitated before finally accepting the job because of the state's anti-nepotism law but his son supported his father's decision anyway.
URI has already started the search for Harrick Jr.'s replacement, Ballweg said.
Ballweg said it was Harrick Jr.'s decision to leave the program, not URI's. He said Harrick submitted his resignation before URI was able to extend a new contract to him.
Coaches from several major colleges told The Providence Journal they saw Harrick Jr. on the recruiting trail in July and said he spoke freely about the end of his employment at the school.
In their two years at URI, the Harricks led the Rams to two straight appearances in the NCAA tournament. They reached the regional final in 1998 and lost in the first round last season.
©1999 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed