Minnesota fires coach Ben Johnson after 4 seasons at alma mater with 56-71 record

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota fired coach Ben Johnson on Thursday after four years of repeatedly rebuilding rosters at his alma mater without coming close to an NCAA Tournament appearance.

It was a fleeting accomplishment for a program that has fallen behind in the rugged and expanded Big Ten.

Johnson had two seasons remaining on his contract, which calls for a $2.92 million buyout. His annual salary was $1.95 million, the lowest in the 18-team league.

The Gophers finished 15-17 after losing to Northwestern on Wednesday in the first round of the conference tournament. Athletic director Mark Coyle announced his decision early Thursday after a late-night meeting with Johnson upon the team’s return from Indianapolis. The university posted the news on its website at 1:07 a.m. local time and on social media at 1:19 a.m.

“I thanked him for his dedication and for guiding the program, one he cares deeply about, for the last four years. Ben is a terrific person, and we wish him well,” Coyle said in a statement distributed by the school. “These decisions are difficult and are made after careful consideration and evaluation. The expectation for our program is to compete for championships, and unfortunately, we have not done that in the last four years.”

Coyle, who serves on the NCAA Tournament selection committee, has long desired a return to relevancy in March for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams. He worked previously at Kentucky and Syracuse, two campuses with long histories of hardwood success.

“This is an extremely desirable job in one of the best conferences and cities in the nation, and we fully expect to compete at the highest level on and off the court,” Coyle said. “We provide a world-class experience for our student-athletes, have one of the best practice facilities in the nation and play games in a historic venue. We offer everything that is needed to be successful, and we will immediately begin a nationwide search for our next men’s basketball…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/minnesota-fires-coach-ben-johnson-122139906.html

Author : Associated Press

Publish date : 2025-03-13 12:21:00

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