Jim Boeheim’s Hall-of-Fame career now has an expiration date. Three years from now, the legendary Syracuse men’s basketball coach plans to step aside, the school announced on Wednesday.
And it should come as no coincidence the news came down 12 days after Syracuse’s athletic department was hit with several harsh penalties by the NCAA in the wake of a scathing report that revealed a decade-long series of violations that included improper benefits, academic misconduct and drug-policy failures.
The school plans to replace the 70-year-old Boeheim, who just completed his 39th season, with coach-in-waiting Mike Hopkins, his assistant since 1996. Boeheim stepping down was part of an agreement between the longtime coach and school officials, Syracuse.com reported. The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions felt Boeheim did not effectively police or monitor his program.
“His goal in making this decision and announcement now is to bring certainty to the team and program in the coming years, and enable and plan for a successful, longer-term transition in coaching leadership,” Syracuse chancellor Kent Syverud said in a statement. “Coach Boeheim’s commitment to ensuring that the men’s basketball program remains strong even after his tenure is just one more example of his deep loyalty to our University.”
Boeheim is scheduled to address reporters Thursday morning.
Boeheim was suspended for the first nine ACC games next season and docked 108 wins after the NCAA ruled ineligible players participated during five seasons: 2004-07 and 2010-12. The program lost 12 scholarships over the next four years (three per season) and is under probation for five years, and only two coaches can recruit off-campus between Jan 1, 2015 through May 31, 2017.
Syracuse also announced on Wednesday athletic director Daryl Gross has resigned from his position, but will stay at the school in another capacity. Gross, who spent 10 years as the university’s athletic director, will now become the vice president and special assistant to the chancellor, and an adjunct professor.
Among Gross’ major accomplishments were spearheading the Orange’s move from the Big East to the ACC and building practice facilities in basketball, football and lacrosse.
Boeheim enters next season with a career mark of 858-333. The 108 wins taken away move him from second on the all-time wins list to sixth. Boeheim came to Syracuse as a freshman in 1962 and later served as an assistant before becoming the head coach in 1976, developing the program into a national powerhouse.
Boeheim has led Syracuse to four Final Fours and 31 NCAA Tournament berths. He won a national championship in 2003 with future Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony. His program has also been the focus of two NCAA investigations.
The Orange were banned from the 1993 NCAA Tournament and the school issued a self-imposed ban on the postseason this year prior to the NCAA’s announcement this month. Those are the only two years in Boeheim’s 39 seasons on the bench his teams have failed to reach the NCAA Tournament or the NIT.
