The University of Saint Joseph has tapped former UConn coach Jim Calhoun to lead its NCAA Division III men’s basketball team for its upcoming inaugural season.
For Calhoun, the opportunity to coach the game he misses so much was too good to pass up – even though he confessed his wife thought it was a bad idea.
“I’m seduced by the game I love,” Calhoun said. “I’m seduced by the idea of teaching. I’m seduced by the idea of watching kids grow and seeing how athletics can fit into that. And so, if you want to call me an addict, I’m an addict to the game that did so much for my life.”
Calhoun retired from the University of Connecticut in 2012 with three NCAA national championship rings on his fingers. He said he doesn’t care at this point about elevating the University of Saint Joseph to UConn’s Division I level.
“But, why not aspire to be the best you can be every single day?” Calhoun said. “It takes a little while to do that and I don’t think I’d be here for it, but I think importantly, why not be really good at what we are and then go from there?”
He pointed to having local guys on the team as an important key in building the program. Calhoun said that 12 of the 17 USJ players are from Connecticut.
Practice begins on October 15. The team’s first game is against New Jersey’s William Paterson University and it’ll be played November 9.
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