Search for new coach continues

by Ryan Ernst and Michael Canan
Sports Editors

University of Charleston coach Jayson Gee was on Ohio University's campus yesterday and met with athletics department officials at President Robert Glidden's house.

Gee said in a March 27 Post article that he was contacted by Ohio concerning the position and hoped to be invited to campus for a visit. The Charleston Gazette reported on March 27 that Gee was a finalist.

He posted a 38-21 record in three years at Division II Charleston. He served as an associate head coach at Ohio from 1993 to 1996.

ESPN.com (http://www.espn.com) reported that North Carolina assistant coach Doug Wojcik and Boston College associate coach Tim O'Shea both withdrew their names from the list of candidates after visiting the university. The Web site said Ohio flew O'Shea in again yesterday, offering a seven-year deal.

Gene DeFilippo, Boston College athletic director and friend of Ohio Director of Athletics Tom Boeh said he would not confirm whether O'Shea visited the university for a second time. But DeFilippo said yesterday in a Boston Herald story that "(Ohio will) do something by the end of the week."

DeFilippo also said in the story that O'Shea's first interview in Athens went "very, very well."

"I don't know if he'll get the job, but Tom Boeh and Tim O'Shea would be a great pair and do a great job together at Ohio," DeFilippo said yesterday.

North Carolina, unlike Boston College, confirmed that its assistant coach removed himself from the possible candidates. Wojcik interviewed with Ohio in Chapel Hill and then again in Athens during the weekend.

"As a policy, we don't comment on the hiring of coaches until it is official," North Carolina Sports Information Director Steve Kirschner said. "But I can tell you that (Wojcik) is no longer part of that process at Ohio."

Another coach from the state of North Carolina has also ruled out coming north to Athens. The News & Recorder (Greensboro, N.C.) reported yesterday that North Carolina-Greensboro head coach Fran McCaffery removed himself from consideration for the job. Ohio requested permission from the school's Athletics Director Nelson Bobb to court the coach last week.

Ohio Sports Information Director Heather Czeczok said yesterday that despite reports to the contrary, the athletics department has not yet offered the job to any candidate.