Greg Marshall to Wichita State

http://http://www.charlotte.com/302/story/85372.html

Wichita State introduces Marshall as coach
Winthrop losing coach who guided them to first-ever NCAA Tournament win
KIRK SEMINOFF
The Wichita Eagle

TED WARREN / AP File PhotoGregg Marshall is leaving Winthrop to coach the basketball program at Wichita State.
WICHITA, Kan. --Winthrop's basketball team won 29 games and the Big South Conference title last season, but when it came time for the NCAA Tournament selection committee to assign the Eagles a seed, they were given a No. 11.

It opened Gregg Marshall's eyes.

Marshall, who took Winthrop to seven NCAA Tournaments in nine seasons, accepted the offer to become Wichita State's basketball coach today partially because he felt the need to get to a more-prominent program.

"The history that you have here is something that I'm aware of," Marshall said. "The support that you have here is something I'm very cognizant of, and we can aspire to new heights."

Athletic director Jim Schaus introduced Marshall at a news conference this afternoon at Koch Arena. An unsigned contract calls for a seven-year deal for $750,000 plus incentives annually _ the same base salary former coach Mark Turgeon made in his final year before leaving this week for Texas A&M.

"I'm ready for that first individual workout, I'm ready for that first practice," Marshall said. "I'm like a kid at Christmas, and I want to see what kind of presents are under the tree."

Friday, after a tour and meeting with WSU players in Koch Arena, Marshall spent the night in Wichita but had not given Schaus an answer. Marshall told Schaus this morning and at about noon, WSU media relations officials informed reporters of a 2:30 p.m. news conference.

"I have been given a whirlwind tour in one of the worst weather conditions you could possibly imagine and we did it all with a smile on our face," Marshall said. "We felt very welcome here."

Marshall said he plans to return to Rock Hill, S.C., this evening to meet with his players.

"Nine years, blood, sweat and tears," Marshall said of Winthrop. "That's what we put into that program for nine years. We took it a long way. We had a lot of great players, guys that had NBA shots.... My family and I's decision to make the break. And we've had some pretty touchy phone conversations with people we care dearly about."

Coincidentally, WSU and Winthrop will be part of an eight-team field at the late-November Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. There's no bracket set yet.

Marshall said he'll start recruiting immediately, inferring that he would be re-recruiting the commitment of Texas junior college big man Brandon Sampay this weekend.

"We need to be patient. We are trying to keep some recruits," Schaus said. "We are going to be recruiting some new people. But excellence is never just about one season."

Marshall, who was 194-83 at Winthrop, has been courted my many schools before. He took the College of Charleston job in the summer of 2006 only to back out a day later, and already this offseason had been courted by South Florida, New Mexico and Arkansas.

Marshall, 44, earned $225,000 at Winthrop. A 10-year contract extension had been discussed that would've put him in the $300,000 to $400,000 range.

Winthrop was 29-5 last season and beat Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

One of Marshall's assistants at Winthrop is Paul Molinari, an assistant for WSU's Scott Thompson from 1994-96 before Thompson's forced resignation. Marshall said one and maybe two of his assistants would come with him to WSU, but would not specify which one.

"I need to get some guys who have more (recruiting) strengths in this area," Marshall said.

 

"My family and I's......."

wtf?

 

Marshall loses recruit while watching him... he drops dead.

Wichita State basketball recruit dies

 

Damn this week is getting shittier and shittier each day.