PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Gary Waters, who led Kent State to a
school-record 24 victories this season, was hired as basketball
coach at Rutgers Friday.
"Gary Waters is a proven winner who knows what it takes to
build a successful college basketball program, and building it the
right way," athletic director Robert Mulcahy said in a statement.
"He is a man of integrity who possesses the passion and vision to
lead Rutgers to prominence in the Big East.
"Gary built a model program while at Kent State. Throughout his
career he has recruited student athletes of the highest character,
individuals who he developed into winners on the court and in the
classroom."
Waters and Rutgers agreed on a contract about 2 a.m. ET Friday.
Waters reportedly will earn about $450,000 annually.
Earlier this week, Waters said he was struggling with the idea
of leaving Kent State for Rutgers, a school that usually is at the
bottom of the Big East.
Waters' Kent State teams were 24-10, 23-8 and 23-7 the past
three seasons, and he was the Mid-American Conference Coach of the
Year in 1999 and 2000.
The Golden Flashes got their first NCAA tournament victory last
month with a first-round win over Indiana.
Waters had a 92-60 record in five seasons at Kent State, taking
the Golden Flashes to the NCAA Tournament twice in the past three
years. He was scheduled to return his strongest team next season,
with four starters back from the MAC champions.
"We've built the program here and it's hard to leave something
like that," he said. "I don't have a `good' job. I have a `great'
job, and this is a family. We've all been here a long time."
He informed athletic director Laing Kennedy about the Rutgers
offer Wednesday, and Waters told his players Thursday that he
intended to leave.
Waters said Rutgers was appealing because of its Big East
affiliation, university administrative support and recruiting base.
"The biggest satisfaction I feel is that I earned it (the
Rutgers offer) on merit," Waters said. "I'm sending a message to
midlevel coaches that if you work hard, you'll be rewarded."
Rutgers coach Kevin Bannon was fired March 20. The Scarlet
Knights were 11-16 this season and failed to make the NCAA
tournament in Bannon's four years as coach.
 Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
|
|
ALSO SEE
Division I basketball coaching changes
|
