Former Hogs to interview at UAPB

BY BECK CROSS

Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/220907/

Former University of Arkansas All-Americans Todd Day and Corliss Williamson are scheduled to interview today for the vacant Arkansas-Pine Bluff men’s basketball coaching position, but it appears a former UAPB assistant coach is the front-runner for the job.

Sources at UAPB said Tuesday that George Ivory, a former UAPB assistant now working at Mississippi Valley State, would likely be named the Golden Lions’ coach. Ivory, who played at Mississippi Valley State and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 2006, could be named UAPB’s coach as early as Thursday.

Mississippi Valley State was the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion in 2007 and the SWAC Tournament champion in 2008, earning the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Messages left for Ivory were not returned Tuesday.

Day is coach of the Arkansas Impact, a member of the Premier Basketball League. He helped lead the Arkansas Razorbacks to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four in 1990 and still holds the school record for career points. Day also spent eight seasons in the NBA.

Williamson was an assistant at Arkansas Baptist College this past season after spending 12 years playing in the NBA. He led Arkansas to the 1994 NCAA Tournament championship and helped the team return to the Final Four the next season before turning pro after his junior season.

Former Arkansas State Coach Dickey Nutt, whom sources say was recommended for the UAPB job by former Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles, also interviewed for the position Monday.

Nutt, who resigned Feb. 19 after a 9-17 start, had a 189-187 record in 13 seasons at Arkansas State, but sources said he was not a finalist for the UAPB job and Nutt withdrew his name from consideration Tuesday afternoon.

“ The applicant pool we’re working with is tremendous, ’’ UAPB Athletic Director Skip Perkins said. “ We have Division I coaches, former head coaches and SWAC coaches that have won championships.

“ I’ve gotten calls from all over the country. ’ ’

Van Holt resigned as UAPB’s coach after six seasons with a 50-124 record. He was making $ 48, 000 annually, but the new coach is expected to make approximately $ 85, 000, not including incentives.

“ Our fundraising has been aimed at improving the facilities and increasing scholarships, ’’ Perkins said. “ First things have to be first, because without facilities and scholarships it doesn’t matter who’s coaching. ’’

Perkins stressed when the search began that his top priority was f inding someone who could recruit players who could compete in the SWAC.

“ We have budget constraints, and I need a person who can be a champion in this league, ’ ’ Perkins said. “ You can get a few wins off talent and you can win a few games at home, but to go to the next level and make it to the tournament, you have to have a person who knows every facet of the SWAC. ’ ’