South Florida, New Mexico could court Marshall

[Guest BasketBull.]

South Florida, New Mexico could court Marshall

Updated: March 21, 2007, 1:57 AM ET

By Andy (Meow) Katz

ESPN.com

ESPN

Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall could have a multitude of decisions facing him in the next 72 hours.

Marshall, fresh off a win over Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the first-ever tourney victory for the Eagles, is expected to talk to New Mexico, South Florida and his current employer all before the end of the week.

If the money is right -- as in more than the estimated $400,000 that Winthrop could boost him up to from his current $270,000 -- a source close to Marshall said the Big South golden boy might just leave his current conference dynasty for the Lobos or Bulls.

Marshall is expected to meet with Winthrop in some form, either in person or by phone, Wednesday to discuss his future, according to the source.

Marshall has eight years remaining on his current contract. A year ago, he accepted the College of Charleston job, went through the news conference, only to go back to Winthrop after thinking about his decision on the way back to Rock Hill, S.C.

New Mexico, which is also seriously interested in Iowa's Steve Alford and has already interviewed former Arizona State coach Rob Evans and former Sacramento Monarchs coach John Whisenant, would likely offer Marshall, if they want him, in the $600,000 to $800,000 range as the Lobos attempt to upgrade the financial package of its next coach.

Marshall is interested in the UNM situation, but also wants to see what South Florida has to offer, considering that program is in the Big East and in his Southern base of recruiting.

But Marshall isn't against staying put. Winthrop has been to the NCAA Tournament seven times since 1999 and the Eagles' first-round win over Notre Dame (before a second-round loss to Oregon) could have huge ramifications for the program. The win, which drew national attention, could open up better scheduling and possible television games, let alone higher-profile neutral-site nonconference games or pre-conference tournaments.

The Eagles lose seniors Torrell Martin, Craig Bradshaw and Phillip Williams -- its second to fourth leading scorers. But top scorer, guard Michael Jenkins, returns as would a core of juniors who all averaged more than five points a game in Taj McCullough, Chris Gaynor and Antwon Harris. Underclassmen Mantoris Robinson and De'Andre Adams, who both played in over 30 games for the 29-5 Eagles, also return.

Winthrop (14-0 in the Big South) was one of only two teams that went through its conference undefeated (Memphis was the other).

[crambone]

lol I thought you meant the Marshall from WV...

[Guest BasketBull.]

LINK

Gregg Marshall's nine years as a college head coach have produced great team success and personal recognition.

He has led the Winthrop Eagles to [highlight]7 NCAA tournament appearances during his 9 seasons, [/highlight]including including [highlight]four consecutive trips during his first four years [/highlight]at the helm. His 2004-05 team established new Big South Conference and school records for victories as the Eagles soared to a 27-6 record and [highlight]finished the season ranked No. 9 [/highlight]among the nation's Div. I mid-major programs. The 2005-06 team compiled a 23-7 record and came within a basket of capturing its first victory in the NCAA tournament.

[highlight]Marshall has been voted the Big South Coach of the Year four times in 1999, 2003 , 2005, and 2007.[/highlight]

Under Marshall's leadership, Winthrop has had five 20-win seasons and have averaged over 20 victories per year.  His career record now stands at a very impressive 165-78. During the 2005-06 season, Marshall became the winningest coach in Winthrop men's basketball history, passing Nield Gordon's mark of 161.

He struck gold in his first year as the head coach at Winthrop as he led the Eagles to their first-ever Big South Conference regular season championship, the conference tournament title and the school’s first trip to the NCAA tournament.  He led the Eagles to another Big South tournament title in 2000 and a second trip to the Big Dance, and then made it a three-peat in 2001 as Winthrop won the conference title in exciting fashion and advanced to the first-ever opening round game in NCAA tournament history.  His 2001-02 team overcame a series of injuries to win a fourth straight conference title and earned the right to face top-ranked Duke in the NCAA tournament.

[highlight]In his first year as a head coach on any level, Winthrop compiled a 21-8 overall record including a 9-1 Big South Conference slate.[/highlight] [highlight]Winthrop’s improvement of 14 victories over the 1997-98 year was one of the biggest turnarounds for NCAA Division I programs. [/highlight]Marshall also directed the Eagles to a school-record 12-game winning streak during January and February. He did this despite having his team picked to finish last in the conference in nearly every poll and national publication. He was rewarded by being voted the 1999 Big South Coach of the Year.

In 1999-2000 the Eagles won it all again as they finished second in the regular season and then captured the Big South tournament to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA tourney.  Winthrop received a No. 14 seed, the highest ever by a Big South Conference member, as the Eagles faced Oklahoma in the West Region at Tucson, AZ.  Sports Illustrated 's NCAA preview even picked the Eagles to defeat the Sooners, but that didn't happen.  Winthrop finished the year with a 21-9 record to give Marshall a 42-17 head coaching mark after two years.

His third year was probably his best in terms of coaching skills as Winthrop was hit hard by the injury bug, but still managed to compile a 18-13 record and its third straight Big South title and trip to the Big Dance.

Gregg Marshall Achievements In Nine Years At Winthrop

*    Led Winthrop To First Big South Conference Regular Season    Championship In 1999

*    Led Winthrop To First NCAA Tournament Appearance In 1999

*   Led Winthrop To First back-to-back Big South Conference Tournament Titles In School History in 1999 and 2000.

*   Led Winthrop To First Back-To-Back NCAA Appearances In Big South Conference History in 1999 And 2000

*    Led Winthrop To First Back-To-Back 20-Win Seasons Since School Became A NCAA Div. I Member In 1987

*    Led Winthrop To A No. 14 Seed In The 2000 And 2005 NCAA Tournaments, The Highest-ever For A Big South Conference School.

*   Captured First Big South Conference Coach Of The Year Honor In 1999.

*    Led Winthrop To First 3-Peat in Big South Conference History with a third championship In 2001.

*    Led Winthrop To A 4th Straight Big South Title In 2002.

*    Led Winthrop To A 3rd 20-win Season And The Regular Season Big South Conference Championship In 2003.

*    Was voted Big South Conference Coach of the Year in 1999, 2003 And 2005.

*     Led Winthrop To A 4th 20-win Season And The Regular Season Big South Conference Championship In 2005.

*    Led Winthrop To A School And Big South Conference Record For Wins In A Season With 27 In 2004-05.

*    Led Winthrop to its first invitational tournament championship with a 71-64 victory over host Marquette in the 2005 Pepsi Blue and Gold Classic.

*    Led Winthrop to its highest ever finish in the on-line computer rankings with a high of 67 in the USA Today Sagarin Ratings.

His appointment as the Eagles’ head coach in April of 1998 brought the South Carolina native full circle. After being born in Greenwood, SC, Marshall spent the first 3½ years of his life on College Avenue which is located adjacent to the Winthrop campus and just a few blocks from his office in Winthrop’s 6,100-seat coliseum.

During the two years leading up to his arrival at Winthrop, Marshall served as an assistant coach at Marshall University where he helped guide the Thundering Herd to the 1997 Southern Conference championship and before that was an assistant on John Kresse’s staff at the College of Charleston for eight years from 1988-1996 when the Cougars made the most successful transition ever from NAIA to NCAA Division I. During Marshall’s years there, the Cougars received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament in 1994 and consecutive NIT invitations in 1995 and 1996.

While at Marshall, he recruited 1998 Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year Travis Young along with MAC All-Freshman team member Joda Burgess. The 1997 recruiting class at Marshall was ranked by ESPN as the best in the MAC and among the Top 40 in the nation. During his tenure at the College of Charleston, Marshall was instrumental in the recruitment of NBA-caliber student-athletes from the state of South Carolina that include Anthony Johnson, a current member of the Indiana Pacers, Marion Busby and Thaddeous Delaney. All three players were voted Trans-America Athletic Conference Players of the Year.

Prior to joining Kresse’s staff in Charleston, Marshall spent one year as an assistant at Belmont Abbey College (1987-88), and two years as an assistant at his alma mater at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA, (1985-1987).  In 13 years as an assistant coach, the schools that Marshall was associated with compiled a record of 268-129 for a success rate of 68 percent.

Marshall received a B.A. degree in economics/business in 1985 from Randolph-Macon and earned the Master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Richmond in 1987. He is married to the former Lynn Munday of Bellingham, Washington, who earned her master’s degree from the College of Charleston. They are the parents of a son, Kellen, age 8, and a daughter, Maggie, 5.

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LINK

[highlight]Big South Coach of the Year

1999, 2003, 2005, 2007[/highlight][1].

[highlight]Regular Season Titles

1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 [/highlight]

[highlight]Big South Conference Tournament Champions

1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007 [/highlight]

[highlight]NCAA Tournament Appearances [/highlight]

2007 (11) vs. (6) Notre Dame (Won 74 - 64)

(11) vs. (3) Oregon (Lost 75 - 61)

2006 (15) vs. (2) Tennessee (Lost 63 - 61)

2005 (14) vs (3) Gonzaga (Lost 74 - 64)

2002 (16) vs. (1) Duke (Lost 84 - 37)

2001 (16) vs. (16) Northwestern State (Lost 71 - 67)

2000 (14) vs. (3) Oklahoma (Lost 74 - 50)

1999 (16) vs. (1) Auburn (Lost 80 - 41)

Salary: the estimated $400,000 that Winthrop could boost him up to from his current $270,000

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[Jewbull]

Who struck gold or oil on the USF campus........................800K?? Glad to know I attended a rich school.

[Dmince]

Wow this guy has dominated his conference.

[JoeBulls]

Yup -- now this is a guy who wins on the low-level.

7 NCAA trips.

I can live with this guy.

[Economics_Nerd82]

Heard about this on Cold Pizza. Sounds great... but sounds a tad bit expensive. We may be willing to acquire him... but will we be able to?

[Herman_Momart]

Lots of accomplishments and a winning record.  That sounds more like our speed.  

Question is can he get the big time recruits.  I'd rather gamble with that, than a guy we would have to guess is he could get the recruits and then if he can win with them.  

Marshall is a proven winner.  Would be a good hire.  

[Joe]

This guy will be a tough get if we have to go toe to toe with New Mexico. Money, Facilities, tradition, fan support.

1) New Mexico is willing to spend 750k on a new coach, they were spending 600k on their old coach.

2) New Mexico just built (in 2006) a massive state of the art Basketball only training facility

3) New Mexico has a basketball tradition that we don't have.

4) New Mexico averaged over 13,000 fans a game last season.

[Brad]

I may be the lone guy uneasy about hiring a guy from this level of program and conference.

I was reading up on Marshall befoe RMc was let go...very impressive numbers, but then even Kirk Speraw has some impressive numbers the last few years.

I would like someone that has experience in a major conference and that is where I pass on the Marshall bandwagon.

In my always humble opinion, I believe we need to hire from the big time.  

Head Coach experience+Major Conference experience+Proven Recruiter