SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Coaching Carousel continues to move and St. John’s continues to search for a coach.
Numerous reports indicate that Boston College coach Al Skinner, a Malverne, N.Y. native, met Friday with St. John’s AD Chris Monasch at the Queens school.
Against this backdrop, Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg agreed to a two-year extension, meaning he is not a candidate for the St. John’s job.
“I am excited to be afforded the opportunity to continue to build the basketball program at Virginia Tech,” Greenberg said. “What makes Virginia Tech so special is the people and their passion for the University. My family has embraced all that the University stands for and I feel this is where I belong.”
St. John’s has previously struck out on Florida coach Billy Donovan and Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt in its effort to replace Norm Roberts, fired last week after six seasons.
Now the focus turns to Skinner, 57, who has led BC to seven NCAA tournament appearances since 2001. The Eagles went 15-16 this season and failed to make the Big Dance for the second time in three seasons.
Skinner’s current deal at BC nets him roughly $1 million annually and takes him through the 2012-13 season. If he could get two more years and additional money from St. John’s, he may be persuaded to leave.
Monasch is reportedly offering upwards of $1.5 million annually.
HOFSTRA SEEKS RIGHT FIT
While everyone is talking about the coaching searches at St. John’s and Seton Hall, don’t forget that Hofstra also needs a coach now that Tom Pecora has taken the Fordham job.
Among the candidates reportedly in the mix are Hofstra assistant Van Macon, St. Peter’s coach John Dunne, CW Post coach Tim Cluess and Stony Brook’s Steve Pikiell.
Macon has the endorsement of some important New York AAU coaches, including Kimani Young, the AD at New Heights.
“I think when you come off a 16-year run with the job that Jay Wright and Tom Pecora have done, it gives us the abilty to be very open about our search and consider all possibilities,” Hofstra AD Jack Hayes said Friday in a phone interview. “We will look for people with Division 1 coaching experience. We will not limit it in any way, shape or form. The job that Jay Wright and Tom Pecora have done over the years have enabled Hofstra to do that.”
Hayes pointed out that during the Wright/Pecora Era, Hofstra made 2 NCAA tournaments, 4 NITs and had 7 20-win seasons.
He said there’s no timetable on the hire but would like to get it done “as soon as possible.”
“You’d like to get it done as soon as possible,” Hayes said, “but not at the expense of doing a thorough search.”
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