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Gophers get their man

Minnesota names Gonzaga's Monson its new coach

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Posted: Sunday July 25, 1999 02:04 AM

Gopher it: Dan Monson may want a new suit now that he's accepted the coaching job at Minnesota. Otto Greule/Allsport

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The University of Minnesota named Gonzaga coach Dan Monson its new men's basketball coach Saturday, a month after buying out former coach Clem Haskins' contract following an academic fraud scandal.

Monson, 37, led Gonzaga to 52-17 record in his two seasons as head coach. His record includes consecutive West Coast Conference titles there. He was Gonzaga's assistant for nine years before being named head coach. He signed a 10-year contract at Gonzaga in April.

Monson was selected over University of Evansville coach Jim Crews and Butler's Barry Collier -- considered a favorite as late as Thursday.

He will receive a seven-year base salary of $150,000 per year and a media income and supplemental package amounting to an additional $340,000.

"It was well known there with my administration that if I had an opportunity of a lifetime, that I have certain goals in my profession to move up, and I feel that this is one of those opportunities of a lifetime," Monson said at a news conference at Williams Arena.

Monson, who had been in Portugal and Majorca during the last month while Minnesota was conducting its coaching search, said the move's timing is "terrible."

"To be honest with you, it doesn't get much worse for me personally," he said. "But there is no good time to leave."

Monson assumes the Gophers helm just weeks before Minnesota takes an exhibition trip to Europe, and less than three months before practice begins Oct. 15.

The basketball program also faces an uncertain future. The academic fraud investigation by independent investigators is expected to wrap up in September, and the university could face NCAA probation or sanctions.

Monson seemed resigned to some type of penalty, although the NCAA probably won't rule until next spring.

"I know with this probation, the next coach here has to do things the right way,' he said. 'In that regard, I know I'm coming into a place that expects me to run my program the only way I know how."

University president Mark Yudof said he was confident Monson could restore the Gophers program to respectability.

"I think coach Monson is outstanding and he's the right person to grow the basketball program, and take us where we want to go and take us there what I'll call 'the right way,'" Yudof said.

Monson's hiring ends a search process that began when university officials bought out Haskins' contract June 30. Haskins walked away with $1.5 million.

Utah's Rick Majerus, Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders and Virginia athletic director Terry Holland were also reported to be candidates for the job. Each spurned the Gophers.

Monson said he didn't mind that he wasn't the school's initial choice. "I don't know that it's what choice I was," he said. "It's that I was the choice."

Several Minnesota players on hand for the news conference said they were glad to see Monson hired despite having voted to endorse former Washington Wizards coach Bernie Bickerstaff to replace Haskins.

"One thing I wanted was a young coach because he's got a lot of enthusiasm," said sophomore center Joel Przybilla, one of seven players who supported Bickerstaff, father of Gophers forward John Blair Bickerstaff.

Monson, who is getting married in Spokane Aug. 7, said he would stay in Minneapolis until Friday to meet with players and hire assistants.

Monson led the Bulldogs over the Golden Gophers in the first round of the NCAA tournament in March. Just before the tournament started, the Saint Paul Pioneer Press reported that players were involved in an academic fraud scandal in which a former office manager in the athletic department's academic counseling office said she wrote papers for players.

An investigation into the academic fraud scandal is not yet complete. The basketball program could face probation or NCAA sanctions.

The athletic department is also embroiled in a sexual misconduct investigation in which officials are alleged to have covered up allegations made by students against athletes.

Monson brings a strong basketball pedigree to the Gophers. His father, Don, who is from Menahga, coached at Idaho and Oregon State, and was an assistant at Michigan State. Dan Monson played football at Idaho, from which he graduated in 1985.

 

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