Black Phantom
Active member
Boston College basketball coach Al Skinner has been fired, according to sources at Boston College. A press conference is scheduled for noon today.
BC officials will start a search for a successor immediately, and have already asked for permission to talk to Richmond coach Chris Mooney and Cornell coach Steve Donahue.
Other possibilities could be Harvard coach Tommy Amaker and Northeastern coach Billy Coen.
According to sources at BC, Skinner and his agent Dennis Coleman met with Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo and BC Vice President of Human Resources Leo Sullivan last Wednesday and were informed that Skinner would not be retained.
Skinner and Coleman then asked if BC could keep that information quiet to allow Skinner to find another job. BC agreed, and Skinner went to New York to interview for the opening at St. John's which developed when Norm Roberts was fired.
Although Skinner was regarded as an early front runner after Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt turned down an offer from St. John's, Skinner wanted to bring his entire coaching staff with him rather than have someone with stronger New York City recruiting ties join the staff.
St. John's then made contact with former UCLA coach Steve Lavin, who has emerged as the front runner and could be hired as soon as tomorrow.
DeFilippo will now move quickly to find a replacement with Mooney, Donahue and Amaker and Coen thought to be on his short list.
BC officials will start a search for a successor immediately, and have already asked for permission to talk to Richmond coach Chris Mooney and Cornell coach Steve Donahue.
Other possibilities could be Harvard coach Tommy Amaker and Northeastern coach Billy Coen.
According to sources at BC, Skinner and his agent Dennis Coleman met with Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo and BC Vice President of Human Resources Leo Sullivan last Wednesday and were informed that Skinner would not be retained.
Skinner and Coleman then asked if BC could keep that information quiet to allow Skinner to find another job. BC agreed, and Skinner went to New York to interview for the opening at St. John's which developed when Norm Roberts was fired.
Although Skinner was regarded as an early front runner after Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt turned down an offer from St. John's, Skinner wanted to bring his entire coaching staff with him rather than have someone with stronger New York City recruiting ties join the staff.
St. John's then made contact with former UCLA coach Steve Lavin, who has emerged as the front runner and could be hired as soon as tomorrow.
DeFilippo will now move quickly to find a replacement with Mooney, Donahue and Amaker and Coen thought to be on his short list.
