- Jul 23, 2007
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[h1]Arizona's Lute Olson will be back next year after taking personal leave 4 months ago[/h1]
By ANDREW BAGNATO, AP Sports Writer 3 hours, 45 minutes ago
Arizona head coach Lute Olson …
AP - Mar 10, 3:54 pm EDT
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)-Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson is returning to the Wildcats at the end of the season.
Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood confirmed the 73-year-old Olson, who has been on personal leave since Nov. 4, will come back under a contract thatruns through 2011.
"We are delighted that Lute will be rejoining the program," Livengood said in statement. "He is one of the true legends of collegiatecoaching, and his return is something that I know will be embraced by everyone who cares about our basketball program."
Questions have swirled about the reasons for Olson's leave for months. Olson said in a statement it was necessitated "by a medical condition thatwas not life-threatening, but serious enough to require time away from my coaching responsibilities."
That's a change from a statement Olson issued on the day he took his leave. He said then he wanted to "reassure everyone that this isn't ahealth scare, but rather a personal matter that needs my undivided attention."
When the leave was later extended to the entire season, Olson said in a statement, "There are personal issues within my family that need to beaddressed and I must devote my full energy to that."
Olson was not immediately available for comment.
Assistant Kevin O'Neill has served as interim coach and has been named the permanent successor once Olson retires. Arizona is 18-13 and 8-10 in the Pac10 this season.
Livengood said O'Neill "has handled a very difficult situation with tremendous poise, and I can't begin to say how appreciative we are of thejob he has done."
Olson is 780-280 in 34 seasons overall and 589-187 in 24 years at Arizona. He's led the team to 23 straight NCAA berths, the nation's longest activestreak.
By ANDREW BAGNATO, AP Sports Writer 3 hours, 45 minutes ago
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Arizona head coach Lute Olson …
AP - Mar 10, 3:54 pm EDT
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)-Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson is returning to the Wildcats at the end of the season.
Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood confirmed the 73-year-old Olson, who has been on personal leave since Nov. 4, will come back under a contract thatruns through 2011.
"We are delighted that Lute will be rejoining the program," Livengood said in statement. "He is one of the true legends of collegiatecoaching, and his return is something that I know will be embraced by everyone who cares about our basketball program."
Questions have swirled about the reasons for Olson's leave for months. Olson said in a statement it was necessitated "by a medical condition thatwas not life-threatening, but serious enough to require time away from my coaching responsibilities."
That's a change from a statement Olson issued on the day he took his leave. He said then he wanted to "reassure everyone that this isn't ahealth scare, but rather a personal matter that needs my undivided attention."
When the leave was later extended to the entire season, Olson said in a statement, "There are personal issues within my family that need to beaddressed and I must devote my full energy to that."
Olson was not immediately available for comment.
Assistant Kevin O'Neill has served as interim coach and has been named the permanent successor once Olson retires. Arizona is 18-13 and 8-10 in the Pac10 this season.
Livengood said O'Neill "has handled a very difficult situation with tremendous poise, and I can't begin to say how appreciative we are of thejob he has done."
Olson is 780-280 in 34 seasons overall and 589-187 in 24 years at Arizona. He's led the team to 23 straight NCAA berths, the nation's longest activestreak.
