UNLV gets permission to interview Cincinnati basketball coach Cronin
Cincinnati has granted UNLV permission to interview Bearcats basketball coach Mick Cronin for the Rebels’ job, sources said Monday.
The permission was granted before this past weekend, one of the sources said.
Whether Cronin agrees to an interview is the next big question. He had not agreed to fly to Las Vegas, but two sources said they thought he was interested in the position. If Cronin comes out for an interview this week, expect UNLV officials to work hard to nail down a deal.
“As I have always said, I am honored to be the coach at the University of Cincinnati,” Cronin told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I have not met with any other schools. I do not have any comment on any other coaching jobs.”
Cincinnati president Santa Ono addressed the possibility of Cronin making the jump.
“Great conversation with Mick Cronin today,” Ono tweeted. “Made it clear he is a key member of our team here at UC.”
Great conversation with Mick Cronin today. Made it clear he is a key member of our team here at UC.
— Santa J. Ono (@PrezOno) March 21, 2016
Ono wasn’t done, later posting: “Casinos get boring awfully fast.” He also wrote, “There’s no place like HOME,” with a photo of a Cincinnati basketball player.
Cronin, 44, has deep ties to Cincinnati the city and the university. He was born in the Queen City and graduated from the school.
As the Bearcats’ coach, he has compiled a 207-129 record over 10 seasons and taken Cincinnati to the NCAA Tournament the past six seasons. Cincinnati went 22-11 this season, losing to Saint Joseph’s 78-76 in Friday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament.
According to the Enquirer, Cronin signed a seven-year contract extension in June 2014 that goes through the 2020-21 season and with bonuses pays him up to $2.2 million annually.
Dave Rice, who was fired Jan. 10, made a salary of $700,000, and one of the overriding questions during this process was how much money UNLV could commit to the next coach.
One source close to the process expressed concern about the Board of Regents approving a large contract, even if most of the money came from private donations. But if the search that resulted in the hiring of Tony Sanchez to be the Rebels’ football coach in December 2014 is any indication, athletic director Tina Kunzer-Murphy already has been in regular contact with the boosters to smooth the process. University president Len Jessup probably has kept regents informed, too.
If UNLV doesn’t land Cronin, other coaches are believed to be interested in the job, including former UCLA and St. John’s coach Steve Lavin and New Mexico State coach Marvin Menzies. UNLV also has interviewed interim coach Todd Simon and assistants Stacey Augmon and Ryan Miller.
The Rebels lost two potential candidates Monday when Jamie Dixon agreed to move from Pittsburgh to Texas Christian and Stephen F. Austin’s Brad Underwood took the Oklahoma State job.
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65
