Monday, March 14, 2011

Cooley Could Be Headed For Providence

Last week it was Manhattan's Barry Rohrssen moving on after he was fired at Manhattan. This week? Another MAAC coach might be on the move, according to published reports, but this time it's upward.

According to a Providence Journal blog item, Providence University's main target to replace just-fired Keno Davis is current Fairfield coach Ed Cooley.

Here's what appeared in the blog item:

PROVIDENCE - Ed Cooley, a Providence native who grew up trying to sneak into the Dunkin' Donuts Center to watch Providence College basketball games, may just be the Friars' next coach.

PC has asked for and received permission from Fairfield University to speak with Cooley. The Stags' fifth-year coach was traveling to an NIT game in Fort Collins, Colo., Monday and could not be reached for comment.

Minimal contact has been made between PC and Cooley's camp as of Sunday night and nothing should progress before the Stags end their NIT run that begins with a game at Colorado State Tuesday night.

On Sunday night, Cooley was asked about hearing his name linked to open jobs. "As long as we're good your name is always going to pop up for jobs," Cooley told the Connecticut Post. "It happened last year and it's happening now. I'll address that when the right time is, but right now we have to go win a game out in Colorado."

It is not clear how closed PC's search for a new coach is at this point but Cooley appears to be the only candidate the school is focusing on.

SO, THE COACHING CAROUSEL has already begun spinning. It does not appear any other conference coaches, to a variety of sources, will be pushed out of their current position.

However, do not be surprised if Saint Peter's coach John Dunne's name begins circulating for openings elsewhere in the near future.

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