College men's basketball: Syracuse announces Boeheim's exit after 47 seasons; Autry to take over
Mar. 8—The Syracuse University men's basketball team announced that Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim is out after 47 seasons and that longtime assistant Adrian Autry will take over the helm.
The team released a statement on Wednesday soon after SU suffered a 77-74 loss to Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.
Boeheim had left his future status in question and in the hands of the university in the press conference afterward.
The 78-year-old Boeheim steps down after 35 NCAA Tournament appearances since taking over in 1976, including the 2003 national championship, and five Final Four trips.
Boeheim is credited with 1,015 career wins to officially rank sixth all-time, not including the 101 on-court victories vacated by the NCAA.
"I've just been so lucky to be able to coach at Syracuse, a place I love, a place I love to live, people keep wondering about that but maybe that's a flaw I have," said Boeheim, the 1966 graduate who began as a walk-on player at SU, after what proved to be his final game.
"But I've lived in Syracuse my whole life, and I'll live there hopefully a long time into the future. I think it's a great place. I think sometimes the negativity comes to the forefront, and that's life, that's there, but I've just been unbelievably fortunate to keep this job."
Autry played for SU under Boeheim as a guard from 1990-94 and was hired as an assistant coach for the 2011-12 season.
"There have been very few stronger influences in my life than Syracuse University and Jim Boeheim," Autry expressed in the team announcement. "They have both played such important roles and without either of them, I am certain I would not have this incredible opportunity before me."
