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 Zag to zig? Monson talks with Notre Dame about coaching vacancy
Posted: Monday March 29, 1999 12:26 AM
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Gonzaga men's basketball coach Dan Monson says he has spoken with Notre Dame's athletics director about the school's coaching vacancy. Monson said he met with Mike Wadsworth on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla., site of the NCAA Tournament's Final Four, to discuss the opening created by John MacLeod's March 9 resignation. "But that's all I'm going to say about it right now," Monson told The Spokesman-Review newspaper for a story published Sunday. Gonzaga athletics director Mike Roth said officials from the South Bend, Ind., school contacted him Friday and requested permission to talk with Monson. Monson, 37, has been a hot commodity since leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA's Elite Eight. The West Coast Conference champion's Cinderella run ended with a 67-62 loss to Connecticut, which takes on Duke in Monday's championship. Monson also was recently contacted about openings at Washington State and San Diego State, but he withdrew his name from consideration for both jobs. Both positions have since been filled. After Washington coach Bob Bender met with Vanderbilt officials about a vacancy there, Monson expressed interest in coaching the Huskies. But Bender decided last week to stay in Seattle. Monson has said he is happy at Gonzaga, and Roth said last week an extension of Monson's contract "is as good as signed," and will be, unless a "dream job" comes along. MacLeod resigned under pressure after the Irish went 14-16 overall last season and 8-10 in the Big East. He compiled three winning seasons in eight years at Notre Dame. Wadsworth has reportedly contacted several coaches about the vacancy, including Xavier's Skip Prosser, Delaware's Mike Brey, Siena's Paul Hewitt and Princeton's Bill Carmody.
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