Collegiate Sports Associates Finds Head Basketball Coach for University of Georgia
June 25, 2018 – Universities continue to turn to search firms to fill their top coaching vacancies. Recently, Collegiate Sports Associates (CSA) placed Tom Crean as the new men’s head basketball coach for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. He replaces Mark Fox who was fired at the end of the season after nine years with the school. The search firm was paid a modest consulting fee of $60,500, according to the Athens Banner-Herald.
“Tom Crean is one of the most successful coaches in college basketball over the past two decades,” said Greg McGarity, Georgia’s director of athletics. “His teams have consistently been participants in postseason play, and his players have been extremely successful in the classroom. He’s going to be a great fit for the University of Georgia. I’m extremely excited to have him leading Georgia basketball into the future and to welcome his family into the Bulldog Nation.”
Veteran Coach
Mr. Crean compiled a 356-231 record in 18 seasons at Marquette and Indiana from 1999 to 2017. His teams have reached postseason play during 13 of those campaigns, with nine NCAA appearances and four NIT bids. Mr. Crean led Marquette to the 2003 NCAA Final Four and has reached four Sweet 16s at Marquette and Indiana. Mr. Crean has also coached eight players who have won All-America honors. All 52 seniors to play for him during his head coaching career have earned a degree. Mr. Crean, 51, spent the past year working for ESPN as a college basketball analyst.
Sports and Entertainment Expansion Elevating Search Business
Over the last quarter century, the sports sector has grown into a formidable global industry. Historically, professional sports teams operated on a relatively modest level, with league officials, team owners, managers, and coaches surrounding themselves with people they knew and trusted from their own small worlds. College sports teams relied on in-house search committees and word-of-mouth recommendations. Much of that has forever changed.
Teams with tremendous followings like the Dallas Cowboys, Real Madrid and Manchester United have seen their valuations soar into the billions of dollars. That’s attracted search firms – big time. Seasoned recruiters now provide strategic planning advice, in addition to talent identification services, with the capability of applying their findings to speed along the process in the hunt for talent. Here’s some further reading from Hunt Scanlon Media.
“Make no mistake, this is a basketball program inside of a great university that can compete for championships doing it the right way,” said Mr. Crean. “We will work diligently and with great energy to make everyone associated with the University of Georgia very proud of our efforts.”
Georgia has turned to search firms in other recent head coaching hires. According to the Athens Banner-Herald, it paid CarrSports Consulting $42,175 for the hire of football coach Kirby Smart in 2015 and also spent $7,500 to Terry Pettit “for services rendered in coaching search for head volleyball coach.”
Established in 1891, Georgia’s men’s basketball team has competed in the Southeastern Conference since its inception in 1932.The Bulldogs have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 12 times. The school has also produced a number of basketball greats, notably Basketball Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins.
Korn Ferry Recruits Head Basketball Coach for Georgetown
Basketball legend Patrick Ewing returned to his alma mater, Georgetown University, to serve as head coach of its men’s basketball team. He was recruited into the position by Korn Ferry. He replaced John Thompson III, the son of Mr. Ewing’s college coach, John Thompson.
Serving Universities
Collegiate Sports Associates helps recruit talent for athletics programs at NCAA Division I universities and conferences across the U.S. The firm’s network of associates includes current and former Division I athletics directors and other senior university and conference officials, including commissioners, presidents, faculty athletics representatives, coaches and associate athletics directors.
Collegiate Sports Associates is led by former longtime athletic director Todd Turner, who has recruited professionals for a number of top university athletics programs. These include: University of Missouri, Kansas State University, Longwood University, University of Missouri, University of New Mexico, Northern Illinois University, University of Oklahoma, Old Dominion University, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest University and Winthrop University.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
