UTEP Basketball Coach Resigns

NT80 · October 22, 2002

UTEP basketball coach resigns

By CHRIS ROBERTS

Associated Press Writer

October 21, 2002

EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- UTEP basketball coach Jason Rabedeaux resigned Monday, saying he has lost the motivation to coach.

Rabedeaux succeeded Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins in 1999 and led the Miners to a 46-46 record in three seasons.

UTEP went 23-9 in 2000-01, their best record in nine years, but slipped to 10-22 last season.

The decision comes just more than a month before the start of the season, but Rabedeaux said it was in the best interest of UTEP, himself and his family. He declined to elaborate on specific reasons.

``I wanted to see where my heart was, what my drive was, what my focus was, and it wasn't what it needs to be,'' the 37-year-old coach said at a news conference.

``This is not a decision that was forced on me,'' he added. ``This is not a fired kind of thing.''

Last November, Rabedeaux received a two-year contract extension running through 2007.

UTEP athletic director Bob Stull said Rabedeaux informed him of his decision Monday morning. Stull said he gave Rabedeaux a chance to reconsider. He added that he hadn't had time to choose an interim coach but would not rule out asking Haskins to come back temporarily.

He also mentioned former Chicago Bulls coach Tim Floyd and former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson. Floyd is a former assistant to Haskins and Richardson played for Haskins at UTEP.

``All three would probably be somewhat of a long shot,'' Stull said.

UTEP opens its regular season Nov. 23 against New Mexico Highlands, with the first exhibition is Nov. 9.

Stull and Rabedeaux said the team has a solid crew of assistants and they don't believe any players will leave because of the change.

Stull said he informed Haskins of the coaching change Monday afternoon. Neither Haskins nor Richardson immediately returned telephone messages left at their homes by The Associated Press.

Rabedeaux was an aide to current Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson for 10 years. He worked on Sampson's staff at Washington State from 1989-94, then followed Sampson to Norman, Okla.