Update at 5:00pm (5-5-14)
Oregon State University has fired Men's Head Basketball Coach Craig Robinson.
Just two months ago OSU Athletic Director Bob de Carolis announced Robinson would remain in his position. He addressed the recent change of heart at a press conference Monday afternoon.
De Carolis: "Despite my sincere want for Craig to be successful at Oregon State… As the days moved on since March, it became clear to me that wanting it to work with Craig as our coach was not good enough. Oregon State University, our student athletes and our loyal supporters deserve more than the simple desire. They deserve success."
Robinson went 94-105 in six years as head basketball coach. He never took the team to the NCAA tournament or the NIT. He has three more years left on his contract and is still owed $4.2 million. That will not go to him in a lump sum, but be paid monthly, as if he still works at the university. The total will decrease if he takes a position elsewhere.
Now OSU officials have to find a new head basketball coach, at a time of year when most of the high-profile candidates have already been scooped up by other programs. De Carolis said the search is underway.
De Carolis: "There's obviously some people that are out there that are available. We'll target some of them, and then we'll get some names, and we'll see where we're at."
He said he hopes to be able to announce who the new coach will be in two weeks.
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Oregon State University confirmed Monday it has fired Men's Head Basketball Coach Craig Robinson. The brother of First Lady Michelle Obama was relieved of his duties, Sunday night, effective immediately. A national search for Robinson's replacement has begun. OSU spokesman Steve Clark:
Clark: "We're very appreciative of Coach Robinson for his contributions in his 6 seasons at Oregon State but again we made a decision that was really based on the best interests of our student athletes, the basketball program and the University."
In Robinson's tenure at OSU the team had 94 wins and 105 losses. Last season, the Beavers went 16 and 16.
Robinson has 3 more years left on his contract and Clark says they'll honor that. The University still owes Coach Robinson an estimated $4.2 million dollars.
