University of Virginia Library

To NYU?

McGuire Move Rumored

By Randy Wert
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Collegiate basketball 1971 is
over for everyone except twelve
NCAA and NIT survivors and the
usual rumors are beginning to fly
about coaching changes, including
the Northern migration of South
Carolina's Frank McGuire.

After coaching his team to a
fourth place finish in the NCAA
Eastern Regional Tournament in
Raleigh last weekend, McGuire is
expected to announce his
acceptance to the head coaching
position at New York University,
replacing NYU's coach of 13 years,
Lou Rossini, who resigned last
week after a dismal 5-20 season.
McGuire stated when confronted
with the possibility of moving that
he had not been offered the NYU
post, but is "willing to talk about
it."

NYU Athletic Director Ben
Carnevale, an old friend of
McGuire, prefers to make "no
statement at this time." A
spokesman in Carnevale's office
indicated via long distance
telephone that "We are receiving
many calls from all over about this,

but this is what we're telling
everyone."

Big City Power

New York University has
traditionally been a power in the
big city's basketball with Rossini's
teams rolling up well over a winning
record during his tenure. However,
this year, the Cinderella Fordham
Rams, 26-3 on the season and third
in the Eastern Regionals, stole the
limelight. Many feel that this is one
of the premier bases for the
possibility of recruiting a new and
successful coach to assure NYU of a
program comparable to Fordham.

A reliable outlet in Fordham's
Athletic Department said, "There's
no doubt about it. McGuire is
coming, and it's just a matter of
time before they announce it. NYU
has to get a man like McGuire to
combat us. They don't want to
leave the whole city to us."

"Complete Rumor"

South Carolina's assistant Sports
Information Director has called the
possibilities "a complete rumor.
The basketball office has denied it
and Coach McGuire has given no
indication that he plans to leave."
The spokesman concluded by
saying, "We plan on having him for
a couple more years. These
(rumors) always crop up around
recruiting time."

Long Career

McGuire, whose USC team this
year is legendary for its aggregation
of alleged "New York street
fighters", began his college
coaching career at St. John's in
New York. After attaining a 103-35
five-year record at his alma mater,
he moved on to North Carolina
where he won a national
championship in 1957 after an
undefeated 33-0 year. Nine seasons
at UNC preceded his jump to South
Carolina, where he has coached for
seven years, with one ACC
Championship (this year's) to his
credit.