NCAA News Wire
Four Division I coaches ousted
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
With the end of the college basketball season comes the annual rite of firing coaches.
Four Division I coaches lost their jobs on Tuesday.
Travis Williams was dismissed after two seasons at Tennessee Tech, Bowling Green did not renew the contract of Louis Orr, North Carolina Wilmington ousted Buzz Peterson and South Dakota interim coach Joey James was not given the permanent job.
Williams was 23-40 at Tennessee Tech, which struggled through a 5-25 season in 2013-14. He was an assistant at the school from 2009 to 2012 before taking the head coaching job.
“We thank Coach Williams for his hard work both as an assistant and as a head coach, and we wish him the best in all future endeavors,” Tennessee State athletic director Teresa Phillips said. “We want to move in a different direction and believe that this decision is in the best interest of Tennessee State and our men’s basketball program.”
In Orr’s seven seasons at Bowling Green, the Falcons posted a 101-121 record. The former Siena and Seton Hall coach’s team finished 12-20 this season.
“We want to thank Coach Orr for his dedication to BGSU and his leadership in developing men of character in the Falcon basketball program,” Bowling Green athletic director D. Christopher Kingston said. “I want to personally thank Coach Orr for his professionalism and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
Peterson’s North Carolina Wilmington teams compiled a 42-82 overall record in four seasons and were 30-53 in the Colonial Athletic Association. This season’s team finished 9-23 overall and last in the CAA at 3-13.
Assistant Eddie Biedenbach will serve as the Seahawks’ interim coach during the search for a successor to Peterson, who played on North Carolina’s 1982 NCAA championship team and roomed with Michael Jordan. Peterson’s career record in 16 seasons as a head coach at UNC Wilmington, Appalachian State, Tulsa, Tennessee and Coastal Carolina is 267-229.
“We appreciate Coach Peterson’s work on behalf of the student-athletes and the university,” UNC Wilmington athletic director Jimmy Bass said. “We thank him for his service and wish him well in the future.”
James took over at South Dakota in September, replacing longtime coach Dave Boots, and guided the Coyotes to a 12-18 season. He played at South Dakota in the 1990s and also served as an assistant at the school.
