DePaul names Wainwright head coach

[Brad]

04/28/2005

DePaul names Wainwright head coach  

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - DePaul University named Jerry Wainwright the new head coach of its men's basketball team Thursday.

Advertisement

 

Wainwright, who spent the last three seasons at Richmond, is replacing Dave Leitao after he left earlier this month to take the head coaching job at the University of Virginia. "We are very pleased to have Jerry Wainwright joining the DePaul family as our new basketball coach and we are looking forward to working with him as we enter a new era for DePaul basketball," said athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto. "Jerry has demonstrated success at every level as a coach and mentor and comes with a background that fits DePaul University." The 58-year-old Wainwright posted a 50-41 record with the Spiders and led them to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2004. Last season, Richmond went 15-14 overall and 8-8 in Atlantic 10 Conference play. Wainwright had been the head coach at North Carolina-Wilmington in the eight seasons prior to his tenure in Richmond. He compiled an overall record of 136-103 with the Seahawks and directed the school to its first 20-win season (1998), as well as UNC-Wilmington's first win in the NCAA Tournament, a stunning triumph over Southern California in 2002. Wainwright also guided the Seahawks to the 2000 NCAA Tournament, where his team lost to Cincinnati. In 11 years as a collegiate head coach, Wainwright has posted a record of 186-144 with six post-season appearances. Prior to the position at UNC-Wilmington, Wainwright was an assistant at Wake Forest for nine years. Wainwright will take over a Blue Demons team that went 20-11 in 2004-05. DePaul earned a bid to the National Invitation Tournament, but was knocked out in the second round by Texas A&M. The Blue Demons are set to join the Big East Conference beginning in the 2005-06 season as part of a 16-team league that will also add Marquette, Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida. "Jerry understands our institution's culture and what it takes for our student-athletes to be successful in all aspects of their collegiate experiences," Ponsetto added. "He is fully prepared for the challenges of the Big East Conference I know he will have our team ready to compete on a daily basis."  

Story Link