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When the news broke that men’s basketball head coach Steve Alford was leaving UNM to accept a coaching job at UCLA, many thought it was an April Fools’ joke. But as the realness of the situation has become clear, it seems University community has mixed feelings about the departure.
UNM President Robert Frank said that despite Alford’s departure, he is sure the team will continue to perform well. He said the University will do whatever it can to maintain the quality of the team.
“We have an incredible group of players and recruits, and our priority is to preserve the momentum of the program,” he said in a statement. “I feel confident that we will find a replacement who will continue to build on our tradition of excellence and move Lobo basketball to the next level of elite competition.”
On Saturday, ESPN broke the news that Alford accepted an offer with UCLA after signing an agreement to a new 10-year contract with UNM. According to that report, Alford will receive a seven-year contract worth $18.2 million from UCLA. He will be paid $2.6 million per year and a $200,000 signing bonus.
Today, Alford replaces UCLA Bruins head coach Ben Howland, who has led the team through NCAA tournaments for the last 10 years.
Frank said UNM will do its best to find a new coach as soon as possible.
“I have full faith that our athletic director and his team will do a comprehensive and exhaustive search for the next head coach,” he said. “We will expedite that process so we have clear direction soon.”
In the meantime, associate head coach Craig Neal will be the team’s interim coach. Frank said that because of Neal’s extensive experience with the Lobos, he is the best man for the job.
“He has been involved in all aspects of the program’s operation and will provide a smooth transition to the next phase of Lobo basketball,” Frank said.
UNM student Michael Walsh said Alford’s departure will affect players’ performance.
“He’s had his plan set up for a couple of years now, went through them, but it sucks for all the recruits. He recruited all of them and he just leaves,” Walsh said.
Walsh said that at this point, UNM can do nothing to reverse Alford’s decision. But he said Alford might be better able to showcase his coaching skills at UCLA, as he said the Bruins have been in the NCAA Final Four three times in the past 10 years.
“He’s already the highest-paid coach the Lobos have ever had, so we can’t offer him any more money,” Walsh said. “We’ve given him everything he wants. He just wants to prove himself at UCLA.”
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Taylor Sumter, manager of the women’s basketball team, said Alford’s decision was not a bad one.
“I think he needed to make a decision that was best for him,” she said. “Coaching changes happen. They’re inevitable and everybody just has to keep going. He had to do what’s best for him.”
Sumter said that although Alford’s decision makes the future of the men’s basketball team uncertain, she still wishes Alford good luck at UCLA.
“It sounded like he had pretty much made up his mind, and there’s nothing we can do to make him stay,” she said. “He made a decision and he decided to stick with it. It might be best for him to bring his coaching career to UCLA.”
