NEW ORLEANS -- University of New Orleans head basketball
coach Buzz Williams resigned Friday, departing after only one
season.
UNO Athletic Director Jim Miller said Williams wanted to
"pursue other career interests" and was not more specific.
Later, Williams told WWL-TV off camera that he intended to take
an assistant coaching job at Marquette.
Williams went 14-17 (9-9 Sun Belt Conference) this past season
and the Privateers reached the Sun Belt Conference Tournament
quarterfinals.
He leaves behind a team which will return four starters next
season, including Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and AP
All-America guard Bo McCalebb.
"I am extremely disappointed that Buzz Williams has decided to
resign," Miller said. "But it's his decision on what to do with his career, whatever the reasons. He has made giant strides at improving our program, for which we are grateful, and I pledge that those positive strides will continue with a new head coach."
Miller said a search will begin immediately.
Williams came to UNO after serving as an assistant coach for two
seasons at Texas A&M. Before that, he spent four years at Colorado
State, where he was associate head coach in 2003-04.
He also had previous assistant coaching jobs at Northwestern
State, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas-Arlington.
The Privateers have been out of their regular home stadium,
Lakefront Arena, since Hurricane Katrina, but are expected to move
back into the facility, which is seen as a key recruiting tool,
after renovations are complete in time for the 2008-09 season.