4/28/2004

GU Men?s Head Basketball Coach National Search Process

The following is an outline of the presentation made by Frank Rienzo to the Hoyas Unlimited Board of Directors at the John Carroll Awards Weekend in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 24^th, 2004:

1. President John J. DeGioia asked Jim Higgins, a member of the board of directors and former captain of the basketball team and Frank Rienzo, Director of Athletics Emeritus to conduct a national search to identify the most qualified candidate to lead the Men?s Georgetown University Basketball program into the future. 
   
   
2. The first step the committee determined was that it was critical to develop the specific goals of the men?s basketball program.  These goals included the areas of academics, recruiting, scheduling, BIG EAST and NCAA performance, compliance with rules and regulations and understanding of the Jesuit Catholic traditions of Georgetown University.
   
   
3. The second step in the process was to develop a comprehensive set of qualifications by which the candidates were to be evaluated.  Areas of particular focus were:
   • Background and position related credentials
   • Leadership and managerial skills
   • Personal qualities and character
   • Commitment to Georgetown University
     
     
4. We knew that there were two critical elements to a successful search of this kind:
   • There should not be a time limit for the process ? Get the best candidate
   • Confidentiality is extremely critical in order to attract the broadest number of interested individuals, as well as to enable resource individuals to speak with utmost candor.
     
     
5. Simultaneously the committee began collecting nominations, applications and recommendations in a variety of ways.    We were inundated with names of individuals.  These were received from national coaches, former players, agents of coaches, lawyers of coaches, Georgetown University alumni, interested fans and media. 
   
   
6. In the evaluation of those candidates that were nominated, recommended and/or who applied, the committee used the previously developed criteria.  Because of personal relationships, the committee had access to and received valuable input from many coaches, athletic directors and other qualified basketball experts who also were given promises of strict confidentiality.
   
   
7. Concurrently throughout the process, the committee conversed with a diverse and wide range of university administrators, alumni, former athletes and nationally recognized basketball experts seeking comments and information regarding the Georgetown University program, and the selection process.  Their insights were generous and greatly appreciated. 
   
   
8. The most gratifying experiences for us were the reinforcement of the respect that is retained by the University and basketball communities for the tradition of the Georgetown University Basketball program, its brand name, its future potential, as well as the excitement about the strong potential for the correct use of the MCI Center as our home court.
   
   
9. As indicated above, the entire process was established to be strictly confidential to protect the identity and reputation of potential candidates since careers can be negatively impacted and the process of the search could be seriously affected if the search was not held in confidence. 
   
   
10. The list of final candidates was narrowed considerably and extensive interviews were conducted with a considerable number of finalists.  Each candidate was evaluated according to the criteria developed by the committee.  Ultimately we made our final recommendation to the President and Athletic Director.
    
    
11. As President DeGioia indicated at the press conference, ?Jim and Frank held initial discussions with a number of candidates, and then shared their findings with athletic director Joe Lang and me.  I met with Coach Thompson and consulted with Joe, then invited John Thompson to come to Georgetown to enrich the great tradition of men's basketball.?