Virginia Hires Gillen As New Coach
Virginia athletic director Terry Holland confirmed Gillen's selection Friday night from San Antonio, where he is attending this weekend's NCAA Final Four. Holland would not divulge financial terms of the contract but it is expected that Gillen's total compensation package will exceed $500,000 a year. Gillen replaces Jeff Jones, who resigned March 15 after eight seasons. An official news conference will be held Thursday. "Pete has a lot of things we liked and a lot of things we needed," Holland said. "Maturity, a strong track record, he has won at two schools (Xavier and Providence). He has taken both schools to the Final Eight. Those are all good measures of a coach." "He has an upbeat style, a little sizzle," Holland said. ``He's naturally funny, and he can coach. He's a good fit for the University of Virginia." Gillen takes over a Virginia team that was 11-19 this year, the worst record in more than three decades, and loses its top two scorers -- Norman Nolan and Curtis Staples. Final details of the contract were ironed out Friday night, only a week after Virginia officials first talked to him. The seven-year contract matches the existing deal that Gillen had at Providence. "Virginia is unique and we're excited to go there," Gillen said. "It's an opportunity we couldn't turn down." One of the stipulations in their agreement is that Gillen is to hire a black coach. He currently has an all-white staff at Providence, meaning at least one of his three assistants can't go with him to Charlottesville. But Gillen said he is already working on finding a job for whichever coach does not make the move. The loss comes as no surprise in Providence. Since coming to Providence, Gillen has been contacted by larger schools, including Ohio State last year. "Although we are obviously very disappointed that Pete has decided to leave Providence College, we would like to wish both him and Ginnie (his wife) the best of luck at Virginia," John Marinatto, Providence's athletic director, said in a statement Saturday. "It is our mutual desire to move forward as quickly as possible to find a coach who will follow in the tradition of his predecessors," he said. Several names that have surfaced as a replacement include Boston University's Dennis Wolff and Iona's Tim Welsh. Gillen, 50, a New Yorker, has a career record of 274-128 in 13 seasons, the last four at Providence, where he guided the Friars to a 24-12 record and a Final Eight appearance in 1997. That season ended with a loss to eventual national champion Arizona in the NCAA Southeast Regional final. Under Gillen, Providence had 72-53 record. In his nine seasons at Xavier, the Musketeers won 202 games and made it to the NCAA tournament seven times, including a 28-5 record in 1990. © 1998 SportsLine USA, Inc. All rights reserved
Pete Gillen has left