Dildy accepts Chicago State job 2-TIME FLAMES ASSISTANT TO RUN COUGARS July 14, 2010
The former UIC guard and assistant coach received his first collegiate head coaching job last week. Dildy will have the challenge of building the Cougars, who play in the fledgling Great West Conference, into winners. Dildy takes over for Benjy Taylor after the Cougars finished 9-23 last season and 4-8 in the Great West. “It’s a bittersweet feeling,” Dildy said. “UIC is my alma mater, and the people here have been nothing but great to me. It has made me into the person I am today. I will always have a place in my heart for UIC, and I am looking forward to this great opportunity.” The move is an interesting twist considering people close to the UIC program believed Dildy would eventually slide into the head coaching role if and when Jimmy Collins retires down the line. Dildy now has the opportunity to show he can run a program and maybe convince UIC brass he will be ready. Dildy was a known as a strong recruiter in his two decades of coaching, helping to snare such talents as Sherell Ford, Quentin Richardson, Steven Hunter, Bonzi Wells and Bobby Simmons. “Tracy is not only a great coach, but he is also very dedicated to the academic success of his student-athletes,” CSU athletic director Sudie Davis said in a statement. “This commitment is one of the primary reasons why he was our top pick for the job. He has the ability to lead our players to victory both on and off the court.” Dildy had two stints as an assistant at UIC and held the title of associate head coach last season. He also worked for Ball State, DePaul, Mississippi, Auburn and UAB. Dildy’s departure creates an opening on the Flames’ coaching staff. An intriguing possibility to fill the slot could be former Flames assistant Gene Cross, who resigned from Toledo after two seasons as head coach. Cross was also an assistant at DePaul, Notre Dame and Virginia. Assistants Bryant Lowe and Mark Miller will stay with the Flames staff.
After appearing in 14 games late in the regular season and six games in the playoffs with Utah, Jeffers played on the Jazz’s summer squad. Jeffers, who played two years with the Flames, averaged 7.6 points and 3.6 rebounds and started three of the Jazz’s five games. He had a high of 11 points against the Indiana Pacers on July 7. Jeffers averaged 2.6 points in 5.2 minutes per game during the regular season. Mayo, No. 4 on the Flames’ all-time scoring list, has played in two of the Dallas Mavericks’ three games. He averaged seven minutes per contest and missed his only two shots from the field. He made two free throws for his only points against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. Mayo’s next game is against the Washington Wizards on Thursday at 7 p.m. on NBA TV. |