 DeKALB, Ill. -- Ricardo Patton, who completed his fourth season as Northern Illinois head mens basketball coach in 2010-11, will not return to the Huskie bench, NIU Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeff Compher and Patton announced Wednesday.
I appreciate the hard work and dedication to Northern Illinois University and our mens basketball program that Ricardo and his staff have shown over the past four years, Compher said. The program has progressed academically under his leadership, and he and his staff have done a great job of becoming a part of this community and have been active members of our athletics department. We wish all of them the best in the future.
Id like to thank Jeff Compher, [former NIU athletic director] Jim Phillips, [NIU] President [John] Peters and the entire Northern Illinois community for allowing me to be its mens basketball coach for the past four years, Patton said. Although we have not won as many games as any of us would have liked, I do feel that we won in some other very significant areas in our mens basketball program. My family and I have met some wonderful people during our four-year tenure here in the state of Illinois. We would like to wish the university and the community much success in the years to come.
Northern Illinois completed its 2010-11 season with a 9-21 record following Tuesday nights 74-54 loss to Bowling Green in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Mens Basketball Tournament. The Huskies compiled a record of 35-83 under Patton over the past four years and went 19-44 in Mid-American Conference play since 2007-08.
Northern Illinois has retained the services of Collegiate Sports Associates (http://www.collegiatesportsassociates.com) to coordinate its mens basketball head coaching search. The firm will work closely with Compher to help identify candidates for the position.
I have no doubt that with the support of President Peters, our alumni and the Northern Illinois University community, we will attract a highly-qualified candidate to lead our mens basketball program, Compher said.
THURSDAY UPDATE:
Northern Illinois University assistant coach Sundance Wicks has been named Interim Head Coach of the NIU mens basketball program, NIU Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeff Compher announced Thursday. Wicks will lead the program during its current head coaching transition.
It is important for our staff and student-athletes to have a point of contact during this transition period, said Compher. Sundance, along with the rest of the staff, will help keep our team organized and on track academically. He is an enthusiastic Huskie who wants the best for our players and this program.
Wicks has spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Huskies. Prior to NIU, Wicks was an assistant for one season at Colorado and two seasons at his alma mater, Northern State, under legendary head coach Don Meyer.
Compher indicated Wicks is not a candidate for the permanent head coaching position.
Courtesy of Northern Illinois Athletics
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