CINCINNATI – The second decade of the Mick Cronin era begins now.
University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics Mike Bohn announced Friday Cronin, who recently finished his 10th season will remain at the helm of the storied UC program.
“I would like people to try and understand after 10 years of dedicated service I chose to evaluate my career and my life,” Cronin said. “Reflecting through that process was extremely difficult, but it was something I needed to do for me personally. The city of Cincinnati and the University are special places to me and I’ve always said what an honor it is to be the head coach at my alma mater. This program has come such a long way in 10 years and we’ve still got work to do and goals to achieve. The 2016-17 season starts for me today and I can’t wait for the future that lies ahead for the Bearcats and this University.”
“Mick Cronin has done the tough job of rebuilding our Bearcats program, and I am thrilled to hear he will be returning next year,” UC President Dr. Santa Ono said. “I know he is hungry to build on the success of the past 10 years and our six straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament.”
“It’s important to me and the University of Cincinnati to sustain continuity with Mick Cronin leading our storied men’s basketball program,” Bohn said. “I salute what Mick has built in his first decade at UC as he was and is the catalyst for the prominent growth around the program. Together, along with our donors, fans, students and supporters, we remain on an onward trajectory for long-term success.”
After 10 seasons at Cincinnati, Cronin has compiled a 207-129 mark and owns a 276-153 record in 13 years as a college head coach. He enters the 2016-17 campaign as the nation’s winningest active coach age 45 or younger and the fifth winningest active coach under the age of 50 (birth dates as of Nov. 1, 2016).
Ten years after returning to his alma mater and hometown city in March 2006 with a determined work ethic, steady approach and vision for rebuilding the proud University of Cincinnati basketball program, Cronin has the Bearcats on solid footing poised for more prominence.
Though his first squad featured only one returning starter in 2006-07, Cronin went tirelessly to work setting the culture necessary to building long-term success while competing within arguably the sport’s toughest league ever organized – the old BIG EAST Conference. Despite the surroundings, Cincinnati began the retooling process, becoming the only program from a major conference to improve its win total every season from 2007 to 2011, building from 11 wins in 2007 to 26 victories and a return to the NCAA tournament in 2011.
Now a fixture at the Big Dance, Cincinnati can include itself on an elite list of eight programs appearing in six consecutive NCAA Tournaments, along with Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan State, North Carolina, VCU and Wisconsin.
http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/032516aaa.html
