Last Updated on April 10, 2012 7:33 pm by admin
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Jim Ferry, who led Long Island University to consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament, is the new head men’s basketball coach at Duquesne.
Ferry, 44, replaces Ron Everhart, who was fired last month after six seasons at the Atlantic-10 school. According to a source close to the negotiations who spoke on the condition of anonymity because terms were not released, Ferry agreed to a seven-year deal with an annual base of $600,000.
Ferry spent 10 seasons with the Blackbirds, and won the Northeast Conference Tournament title the past two seasons. In the last four years at the Brooklyn, N.Y., school, Ferry was 55-17. LIU had a couple of tough draws in the NCAA, losing, 89-67, to Michigan State this year, and dropping a 102-87 decision to North Carolina in 2011.
Everhart spent six seasons with the Dukes, went 99-89, and took the embattled program to postseason play three times. But questions began to surface last month, when three members of the team – including sophomore point guard T.J. McConnell, the team’s best overall player – announced intentions to transfer.