Minnesota Drops Coach Ben Johnson in NCAA Rotation
Rewritten Article:
Ben Johnson's coaching tenure with Minnesota has come to an end following the team's 72-64 loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament. The 44-year-old coach, who joined Minnesota in 2021, leaves the Big Ten school with a record of 56-71 over four seasons, having never finished higher than ninth in the league.
Johnson, who took over from Richard Pitino, had his first head coaching gig after serving as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Xavier, and Minnesota itself.
As the university searches for a new coach, potential candidates are surfacing. Among them are Niko Medved of Colorado State and Ryan Saunders, a Minnesota native and assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets who played at Minnesota. Both coaches have ties to the school.
Minnesota AD Mark Coyle announced the decision, stating, "I met with Ben early this morning when the team returned to Minneapolis, informing him that we were parting ways. Ben is a fantastic individual, and I appreciate his commitment and care for the program. However, we didn't meet our expectations of competing for championships over these past four years. This is a premier job in one of the country's top conferences and cities, and we expect to be a contender on and off the court."
Coyle continues, "We offer our student-athletes a top-notch experience, boast one of the best practice facilities, and play games in a historic venue. We have everything needed to succeed, and we will commence a nationwide hunt for our next men's basketball coach immediately."
- During the Big Ten Tournament, the Minnesota team, previously coached by Ben Johnson, experienced a 72-64 loss to Northwestern, marking the end of Johnson's four-season stint with the school.
- Ryan Saunders, a promising potential candidate for the coaching vacancy, has ties to Minnesota, as he is a native of the state and currently serves as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA.
- As Minnesota transitions to a new coach, the school's AD, Mark Coyle, emphasized the availability of top-notch resources for the next men's basketball coach, including a state-of-the-art practice facility and historic playing venue, as they embark on a nationwide search.
