NEW ORLEANS
University of New Orleans head basketball coach Buzz Williams resigned Friday, departing after only one season with the Privateers.
Athletic director Jim Miller said Williams wanted to “pursue other career interests” and wasn’t more specific.
WWL-TV reported that Williams told the station off camera 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 quarterfinals of the conference tournament.
He leaves behind a team which will return four starters next season, including the Sun Belt player of the year, 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.”
Williams came to New Orleans after serving as an assistant 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.
–Associated Press
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