University of Minnesota Athletics
Dan Monson Resigns as Golden Gopher Men's Basketball Coach
11/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
University of Minnesota Athletics Director Joel Maturi announced today that Dan Monson has resigned as head coach of the Golden Gopher men’s basketball team, effective immediately. Assistant coach Jim Molinari will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2006-07 season.
“Dan and I met this morning, and we decided that it was in the best interests of the program that he step aside,” Maturi said. “Jim Molinari will take over on an interim basis for the rest of the season. Dan took over the program at an extremely difficult time and poured his heart and soul into restoring respectability to Golden Gopher Basketball.”
Monson compiled a 118-106 (.527) in seven-plus seasons at Minnesota, including a 2-5 mark this season. Monson led the Golden Gophers to five winning seasons, one NCAA Tournament berth and four appearances in the NIT. Minnesota’s best year under Monson came in 2004-05 when the Maroon and Gold posted a 21-11 overall mark (10-6 Big Ten) and earned a berth in the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
Monson was named the Minnesota head coach on July 24, 1999. Upon his arrival, the Golden Gopher program was saddled with severe recruiting and scholarship restrictions due to NCAA violations that occurred under the previous coaching staff. Despite those restrictions, Monson coached three NBA draft picks (Kris Humphries, Joel Przybilla, Rick Rickert), three first team All-Big Ten players (Rickert, Humphires, Vincent Grier) and 14 Academic All-Big Ten selections during his tenure at Minnesota.
Prior to coming to Minnesota, Monson spent 11 years building the Gonzaga program. He was an assistant coach from 1988-94 and an associate head coach from 1994-97 before taking over the reins of the Bulldog program from 1997-99. In two seasons as head coach of the Zags, Monson recorded a 52-17 record, won two West Coast Conference titles and led the Bulldogs to an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 1998-99.
Monson at Minnesota Notes:
• From 2000-01 to 2002-03, the Golden Gophers won at least 18 games in three straight seasons, a stretch only matched two other times in Minnesota basketball history.
• In 2004-05, Monson engineered the second-best Big Ten turnaround in the last 20 years, finishing the season with a 10-6 Big Ten record after posting just three wins one year prior.
• In 2004-05, Minnesota reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since 1992-93.
• With a 71-55 victory over Indiana in the 2005 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on March 11, 2005, Monson earned his 100th victory at Minnesota.
• Three former Golden Gophers who played under Monson (Kevin Burleson, Kris Humphires, Joel Przybilla) have seen time in the NBA.
• Coached three first team All-Big Ten players (Rick Rickert, Kris Humphries, Vincent Grier), two second team All-Big Ten players (Rickert, Grier), two third team All-Big Ten players (Dusty Rychart, Grier), six All-Big Ten honorable mention selections (Travarus Bennett, Maurice Hargrow, Jerry Holman, Michael Bauer, Jeff Hagen, Grier), six NABC all-district honorees (Przybilla, Rickert, Humphries, Grier), two Big Ten Freshmen of the Year (Rickert, Humphries) and one Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (Bennett).
Jim Molinari Bio:
In his third season as an assistant coach at Minnesota, Jim Molinari will serve as the interim head coach for the Golden Gophers. Molinari came to Minnesota in 2004 after spending two seasons as an NBA scout for the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat. Prior to his stint with the Heat, Molinari enjoyed a 24-year career as a collegiate head and assistant coach at the Division I level. For 11 seasons, he was the head coach at Bradley University where he amassed a 176-150 (.540) record and guided the Braves to the postseason six times. From 1989-1991, he was the head coach at Northern Illinois University where he posted a record of 42-17 and won the 1991 Mid-Continent Conference title. His 13-year head coaching record stands at 218-167 (.566).
“Dan and I met this morning, and we decided that it was in the best interests of the program that he step aside,” Maturi said. “Jim Molinari will take over on an interim basis for the rest of the season. Dan took over the program at an extremely difficult time and poured his heart and soul into restoring respectability to Golden Gopher Basketball.”
Monson compiled a 118-106 (.527) in seven-plus seasons at Minnesota, including a 2-5 mark this season. Monson led the Golden Gophers to five winning seasons, one NCAA Tournament berth and four appearances in the NIT. Minnesota’s best year under Monson came in 2004-05 when the Maroon and Gold posted a 21-11 overall mark (10-6 Big Ten) and earned a berth in the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
Monson was named the Minnesota head coach on July 24, 1999. Upon his arrival, the Golden Gopher program was saddled with severe recruiting and scholarship restrictions due to NCAA violations that occurred under the previous coaching staff. Despite those restrictions, Monson coached three NBA draft picks (Kris Humphries, Joel Przybilla, Rick Rickert), three first team All-Big Ten players (Rickert, Humphires, Vincent Grier) and 14 Academic All-Big Ten selections during his tenure at Minnesota.
Prior to coming to Minnesota, Monson spent 11 years building the Gonzaga program. He was an assistant coach from 1988-94 and an associate head coach from 1994-97 before taking over the reins of the Bulldog program from 1997-99. In two seasons as head coach of the Zags, Monson recorded a 52-17 record, won two West Coast Conference titles and led the Bulldogs to an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 1998-99.
Monson at Minnesota Notes:
• From 2000-01 to 2002-03, the Golden Gophers won at least 18 games in three straight seasons, a stretch only matched two other times in Minnesota basketball history.
• In 2004-05, Monson engineered the second-best Big Ten turnaround in the last 20 years, finishing the season with a 10-6 Big Ten record after posting just three wins one year prior.
• In 2004-05, Minnesota reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since 1992-93.
• With a 71-55 victory over Indiana in the 2005 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on March 11, 2005, Monson earned his 100th victory at Minnesota.
• Three former Golden Gophers who played under Monson (Kevin Burleson, Kris Humphires, Joel Przybilla) have seen time in the NBA.
• Coached three first team All-Big Ten players (Rick Rickert, Kris Humphries, Vincent Grier), two second team All-Big Ten players (Rickert, Grier), two third team All-Big Ten players (Dusty Rychart, Grier), six All-Big Ten honorable mention selections (Travarus Bennett, Maurice Hargrow, Jerry Holman, Michael Bauer, Jeff Hagen, Grier), six NABC all-district honorees (Przybilla, Rickert, Humphries, Grier), two Big Ten Freshmen of the Year (Rickert, Humphries) and one Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (Bennett).
Jim Molinari Bio:
In his third season as an assistant coach at Minnesota, Jim Molinari will serve as the interim head coach for the Golden Gophers. Molinari came to Minnesota in 2004 after spending two seasons as an NBA scout for the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat. Prior to his stint with the Heat, Molinari enjoyed a 24-year career as a collegiate head and assistant coach at the Division I level. For 11 seasons, he was the head coach at Bradley University where he amassed a 176-150 (.540) record and guided the Braves to the postseason six times. From 1989-1991, he was the head coach at Northern Illinois University where he posted a record of 42-17 and won the 1991 Mid-Continent Conference title. His 13-year head coaching record stands at 218-167 (.566).
Players Mentioned
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