YSU Hoops coach search heats up

Ron Strollo expects to name John Robic's successor by mid-April.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- A search committee will get down to serious business this week to find a new men's basketball coach at Youngstown State.
YSU athletic director Ron Strollo has received more than 40 applications for the opening since John Robic's contract was not renewed after six seasons.
Strollo began work almost immediately following the season and his search committee held its first meeting Thursday.
"We will not be releasing the members of our committee until after the selection has been made," Strollo said. "We don't feel it is fair to subject these members to outside interference while the selection process is going on."
The committee will begin reviewing applications this week and Strollo said he hopes to bring the top three or four candidates to Youngstown for interviews the following week.
Whittling down the list
"We'd like to have it down to three or four candidates by next week," Strollo said.
He also indicated that he would like the finalists to have college head coaching experience along with ties to the Ohio-Pennsylvania recruiting area.
"We also want a head coach with character, someone who will blend in well not only with the university, but the community as well," Strollo said. "If there is a fourth point of interest, we would want our next coach to be someone who really wants to be at Youngstown State University."
Although Strollo has not revealed the names of coaches who have applied, several names continue to pop up throughout the grapevine.
Hunter and Slocum
Probably the two most well-known names are Larry Hunter and Jerry Slocum.
Hunter, an Ohio native and a graduate of Ohio University where he spent 12 seasons as head coach, has been an assistant coach at North Carolina State University for the past three seasons.
Slocum has been the coach at Gannon University in Erie, Pa., for nine seasons.
Also rumored to have applied for the position are: Michael Grant, coach at Southern (La.) University; Ron Niekamp, the coach at Findlay College; and Rick Boyages, former coach at William & amp; Mary who was also an assistant coach at Ohio State and Boston College.
Strollo would not confirm or deny any names of possible candidates.
There also are rumors that Wayne State head coach David Greer was interested in the job, but he has most recently been mentioned as a replacement at Eastern Michigan.
Payday
Money could play a role in determining the new coach. Robic made $100,000 for his final year with the Penguins, but some possible candidates -- like Hunter -- are making more than that as assistants.
"We realize that we are going to have to raise the bar a little," Strollo said. "But we have not had one coach shy away from this job because of money. These coaches want to move up to Division I or assistants want to be head coaches again. I don't think that money is going to be a big issue."
Strollo said that he expects by early to mid-April he will have a new coach in place.
mollica@vindy.com