The losses are mounting for the Virginia men's basketball team. Yesterday, the College of Charleston hired Tom Herrion, Pete Gillen's right hand man and assistant coach, to take over their head coaching position.
This marks the second loss in two days for the Cavaliers' basketball program, coming on the heels of Monday's announcement that junior guard Roger Mason Jr. will submit his name for the NBA draft.
Herrion will take over a program steeped in tradition, and will roam the sidelines of a court that was named for his predecessor of 23 years.
Former coach John Kresse retired from the Cougars program last month after changing a small-budget team into a successful Division I program. Kresse led the College of Charleston to four NCAA tournament appearances and four trips to the NIT.
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The Cougars finished 21-9 in Kresse's final season and finished first in the South division of the Southern conference.
Herrion said he is prepared for the challenge, however, and believes that College of Charleston is just beginning to reach its potential.
"If I felt the ceiling or the potential of the program had been maxed out, I wouldn't stand here," Herrion said in a press conference yesterday, according to an Associated Press story. "I think the future is extremely bright. I think the ceiling is limitless in our pursuit of excellence."
Herrion, who served under Gillen for eight seasons at Providence and Virginia, promised he would employ the up-tempo ball he learned from his mentor, the story said.
The new Cougars coach worked as an assistant for 13 years at Merrimack College, Providence and Virginia, with his last two stops under Gillen. Herrion's teams made the NCAA tournament four times, and took part in the NIT four other years.
According to the Associated Press, College of Charleston president Lee Higdon said Herrion was the only candidate offered the job. Higdon called Herrion "one of the best recruiters in the business."
Herrion's older brother, Bill, just completed his third season as head coach at East Carolina. His father, the late Jim Herrion, coached at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
There has been no news about potential candidates to replace Herrion, and Gillen had yet to release a statement to the press as of last night. The basketball office said they expect Gillen to make a statement sometime today.
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