Jim Boeheim will make good on his promise to return as Syracuse University's head men's basketball coach, but only for three more years.
The school's chancellor, Kent Syverud, announced Boeheim's retirement plans in a statement further addressing the NCAA sanctions handed down earlier this month. In addition Syverud said Daryl Gross would be leaving his post as athletic director, but would remain at Syracuse in some other role.
As he maintained since the NCAA announced its sanctions against Boeheim's men's basketball team, Syverud said Syracuse "does not agree with all of the conclusions reached by the Committee on Infractions and does not agree that the full set of penalties imposed."
The NCAA vacated 108 of Boeheim's wins for playing various games with players who should have been ruled ineligible and reduced the team's scholarships by three per season over the next four years. Further, Boeheim has to sit out the Orange's first nine ACC games next season. The NCAA concluded in an investigation that took more than a decade that Boeheim and the Syracuse athletic department allowed an array of violations to take place.
"Coach Boeheim has also told me that he intends to retire as Head Coach in three years," Syverud said. "His goal in making this decision and announcement now is to bring certainty to the team and program in the coming years, and enable and plan for a successful, longer-term transition in coaching leadership. Coach Boeheim's commitment to ensuring that the men's basketball program remains strong even after his tenure is just one more example of his deep loyalty to our University."
Earlier this month, Boeheim appeared at a dinner event attended by Syracuse personnel and fans of the basketball team in general. He told the crowd was "not going anywhere," which still holds true though he has put a timetable on his tenure as coach.
You can listen to his address HERE, via Syracuse.com.
Syverud said the school plans to appeal the vacated wins, reduced scholarships and would support Boeheim should he decide to appeal his individual punishments. The aforementioned address is still the only time he has spoken publicly on the subject.
