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News Nuggets, 05.06.05
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Air Force coach succeeds Wainwright at Richmond

DENVER — Chris Mooney stepped down after one season as coach at Air Force on Thursday to take the open coaching spot at Richmond.

Mooney, an Air Force assistant for four years before taking over the top job, will be introduced Friday at Richmond as the replacement for Jerry Wainwright, who left last week to take over at DePaul.

At 32, Mooney is the fourth-youngest head coach in Division I. He agreed to a five-year contract with the Spiders.

Mooney went 18-12 last season with the Falcons.

``Obviously, it was a really difficult decision because of the program and, specifically, the team we have at Air Force right now,'' Mooney told The Associated Press. ``I went out there and was impressed with their school. They have great basketball tradition and I think they have a tremendous commitment to basketball.''

The Falcons, on the other hand, struggled for decades. Mooney led them to 18 wins, marking their first back-to-back winning seasons since 1975-76. But they lost in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament and there was no repeat of the team's 2004 appearance in the NCAA tournament, which marked Air Force's first trip in 42 seasons.

Mooney took over for Joe Scott, who left for Princeton last year. Scott engineered the turnaround at Air Force, installing a meticulous, slow-down offense — the so-called Princeton offense — to help the Falcons neutralize the talent disadvantages they faced in many games.

Now, the search for the third coach in three years at Air Force begins. Mooney said he doesn't think the program is as fragile as some might believe.

``I really hope not, because I think there's a good team in place,'' he said. ``There's a lot of talent, experience, character in the program, a lot of depth. I think if things can go smoothly and guys regroup, they could be very good and ensure they're good for a long time.''

Wainwright was 50-41 in three seasons at Richmond and led the Spiders to the NCAA tournament in 2004.

Marquette dodges Warriors in changing name

The Marquette University Board of Trustees has decided the school will not return to its old Warriors nickname but that it will change its Golden Eagles nickname of recent years to the Gold.

Marquette President Father Robert Wild announced the decision after the Board met this week on what had become a controversial issue.

Some alumni have pushed for years to restore the Warriors nickname that was in place from 1954 through 1993, a span that included the school's 1977 NCAA basketball championship victory over North Carolina in the final game before his retirement of since-deceased Marquette coach Al McGuire.

The name change to Golden Eagles was made in 1994.

“I am really pleased that the Trustees have chosen this direction for Marquette athletics," stated Wild. "The Board has chosen a name that reflects our desire to be champions. With Marquette ‘Gold,’ the Board has captured decades of traditions in one profound term that symbolizes the high standards always set by our student-athletes and our coaches.

“While I recognize that some people will be disappointed that we are not reinstating the Warriors nickname, we cannot teach one principle about respect for human dignity in our classrooms and then fail to act by that same principle when making decisions. The Warriors nickname will always be part of our proud athletics tradition, and we will honor that tradition. But we live in a different era than when the Warriors nickname was selected in 1954."

The board had spent months considering opinions of the thousands of students, alumni, faculty and staff who took part in focus groups and an online survey on the issue.

In September, the board decided to continue the discussion about the nickname but passed a resolution barring any nickname using American Indian references, imagery or symbolism.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from Associated Press and other sources. Copyright 2005 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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