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The Daily OrangeWBB | Cieplicki steps down as women's basketball head coach, Hillsman named interim replacement for 2006-07
Former coach saw eight people involved in program unexpectedly leave during 28-55 three-year tenure
By Mark Medina, Ben Peskin and Ethan Ramsey
Posted: 6/6/06, 12:14 PM EST Section: Sports
June 6 -- Keith Cieplicki stepped down as Syracuse women's basketball head coach today.
SU Director of Athletics Daryl Gross named current assistant coach Quentin Hillsman interim head coach for the 2006-07 season at a news conference at Manley Field House this afternoon.
Cieplicki's tumultuous three-year tenure ends with an overall record of 28-55. SU went 9-18 in 2005-06, finshing last in the Big East with a 2-14 record.
Five players, two assistant coaches and one director of basketball operations left the program since Cieplicki replaced former head coach Marianna Freeman in 2003.
Cieplicki resigned to explore opportunities in the Syracuse community, possibly ministry.
"Everyone said to me, 'Well, if you had won more,' and maybe those factors would have changed where I am today," Cieplicki said. "In all fairness, there is something deeper inside. It's something that I want to follow. I've really been growing in my faith and my relationship to the Lord as well as seeing the incredible needs of the community."
Gross said the annoucement did not come as a surprise.
"I wouldn't say it comes as a shock," said Gross, who compared Hillsman to Dallas Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson, the 2005-06 NBA Coach of the Year. "I would just say it comes through our talking and processing through the future that this has come about."
Gross said he will conduct a nationwide search for Syracuse's next head coach, and that Hillsman will be part of that search.
"We are going after the top people," Gross said.
Lina Lisnere, a freshman forward who averaged 7.5 points in 2005-06 and is currently in her native country of Latvia, had not heard of the news until contacted via e-mail by a Daily Orange reporter.
"I gotta say that I'm very surprised, because I had no idea that coach (Cieplicki) was thinking about leaving," Lisnere wrote. "However, at the same time I'm just very excited about coach (Hillsman) cause he's probably one of the best coaches I've ever seen, and you gotta love his knowledge and passion about this game."
SU Director of Athletics Daryl Gross named current assistant coach Quentin Hillsman interim head coach for the 2006-07 season at a news conference at Manley Field House this afternoon.
Cieplicki's tumultuous three-year tenure ends with an overall record of 28-55. SU went 9-18 in 2005-06, finshing last in the Big East with a 2-14 record.
Five players, two assistant coaches and one director of basketball operations left the program since Cieplicki replaced former head coach Marianna Freeman in 2003.
Cieplicki resigned to explore opportunities in the Syracuse community, possibly ministry.
"Everyone said to me, 'Well, if you had won more,' and maybe those factors would have changed where I am today," Cieplicki said. "In all fairness, there is something deeper inside. It's something that I want to follow. I've really been growing in my faith and my relationship to the Lord as well as seeing the incredible needs of the community."
Gross said the annoucement did not come as a surprise.
"I wouldn't say it comes as a shock," said Gross, who compared Hillsman to Dallas Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson, the 2005-06 NBA Coach of the Year. "I would just say it comes through our talking and processing through the future that this has come about."
Gross said he will conduct a nationwide search for Syracuse's next head coach, and that Hillsman will be part of that search.
"We are going after the top people," Gross said.
Lina Lisnere, a freshman forward who averaged 7.5 points in 2005-06 and is currently in her native country of Latvia, had not heard of the news until contacted via e-mail by a Daily Orange reporter.
"I gotta say that I'm very surprised, because I had no idea that coach (Cieplicki) was thinking about leaving," Lisnere wrote. "However, at the same time I'm just very excited about coach (Hillsman) cause he's probably one of the best coaches I've ever seen, and you gotta love his knowledge and passion about this game."
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 6
Anonymous
posted 6/06/06 @ 1:11 PM EST
What players are you referring to as having left the program? Lauren Kohn, Jessica Richter and who else. Amanda Adamson has also left the program and has signed on at University of New Mexico. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 6/08/06 @ 12:18 AM EST
Dear Daily Orange,
I was very happy to hear that the infamous Kieth Cieplicki resigned from coaching. If you ask me, he should have never been coaching to begin with. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 6/08/06 @ 7:34 PM EST
I couldn't agree more with the things April Jean said in a previous post. Cieplicki had the opportunity at Syracuse to reach out to players and positively change their lives. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 6/13/06 @ 12:01 PM EST
You're right. He tried to pit players against each other and was the most manipulative person I've ever known. He once said, "We tell the media one thing, but we know the truth". (Continued…)
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