March 3, 2006
ALBANY, N.Y. - Fairfield University men's basketball coach Tim O'Toole announced that he would not return for the 2006-07 basketball season. Coach O'Toole made the announcement during a post-game press conference which followed the team's game against Niagara University in the first round of the 2006 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) basketball tournament. Director of Athletics Gene Doris confirmed late Friday that Coach O'Toole will not return next season.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to coach at Fairfield University," O'Toole said. "I worked with tremendous people, specifically the staff and my players during my time. The team received a great deal of support academically and I am grateful for that as well. I think we built a solid foundation, and hopefully the next staff can continue to build on that foundation. Fairfield is a very special place and I will always be proud of what I accomplished here."
Doris' confirmation followed the post game news conference.
"After a considerable amount of thought, evaluation, and reflection, Fairfield University has decided not to extend the contract of men's basketball coach Tim O'Toole. The men's basketball program made a number of positive strides under Tim during his eight years as head coach, and there are measures that suggest or confirm that the program is better today than it was when he became head coach 8 years ago. For that, both Fairfield University and I are most appreciative and grateful. We are all well aware of the accomplishments of our players in the classroom, in the community, and in life. Coach O'Toole and his staff deserve our collective thanks for their work with so many student-athletes over the past 8 years.
"In the end, it is my responsibility as Director of Athletics to evaluate the state and progress of our 19 varsity athletic programs. Our goals for men's basketball at Fairfield have long been to compete regularly for conference championships and being competitive year in and year out. Given the resources we put into men's basketball, and the resources we have added over the past 8 years, the program did not achieve the goals to which we remain committed and believe to be achievable.
"The University will begin the search immediately for a new head coach. Our commitment to and support of our men's basketball program are as firm as ever. We believe we have most of the resources in place to sustain success on a regular basis, and where we need to provide additional resources or improve how we do business to support this, we will."
