Men's Basketball: WVU Aide Tabbed by EKU
April 11, 2005 03:40 PM | General
April 11, 2005
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| Neubauer |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University basketball assistant coach Jeff Neubauer has been named men’s basketball coach at Eastern Kentucky University, the school announced today.
Neubauer replaces former EKU coach Travis Ford, who guided the Colonels to an Ohio Valley Conference title and a berth in this year’s NCAA tournament where they lost to Kentucky in an opening round game. Ford left Eastern Kentucky to take the head coaching position at Massachusetts.
“As a young coach, you dream of taking over a Division I program in very good shape with a chance to win, and that’s the case at EKU,” Neubauer said. “I understand how important the game of basketball is in Kentucky, and as a coach, that’s something you look for.
Neubauer coached three seasons at WVU and eight overall with John Beilein. He also served six years at Richmond and three seasons at The Citadel. Neubauer helped West Virginia to a 24-11 record this past season and the school’s first berth into the “Elite Eight” since 1959.
“This is a day of mixed emotions for us in the men’s basketball office at West Virginia University,” said Beilein. “We are so pleased that Jeff has accomplished a goal that he has had for a long, long time – to be a head basketball coach at a fine institution.
“At the same time, we’ve lost a very valuable part of our men’s basketball program. There’s not question in my mind that Jeff’s input has been a major part of our success over the last eight years at West Virginia and at Richmond.”
The Slidell, La., native graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from La Salle. He later earned an MBA from The Citadel.
Neubauer, 34, was an honorable mention academic All-American at La Salle playing for coach Speedy Morris. The guard helped La Salle to a four-year record of 83-36, two NCAA tournaments and an NIT berth.
He is married to the former Karen Feret of Hackettstown, N.J.
“I’m extremely confident that he will have similar success as he embarks on his college head coaching career,” Beilein said.
Beilein said a search for Neubauer’s successor will begin immediately.
Briefly:
Fischer helped Norfolk Naval Shipyard to a third place finish and scored a tournament-high 15 points with 12 rebounds in a win over the Tidewater Sealants. Fischer averaged 11 points and 7.7 rebounds for the tournament.
