JONESBORO (2/19/08) ? Arkansas State Director of Athletics Dr. Dean Lee announced Tuesday that Dickey Nutt has relinquished his duties as head men's basketball coach.
“We are very grateful to Dickey Nutt for his many years of service to this University and to our athletic program and wish Coach Nutt and his family the absolute best in the future,” said Lee. “I know this was a difficult decision for him but one that was in the best interest of the program.”
Nutt was in the midst of his 13th season as head coach at ASU, compiling a 189-187 (.503) overall record and 102-101 (.502) mark in Sun Belt Conference play. The Indians are 9-17 this season and 4-11 in the Sun Belt Conference.
Lee has appointed assistant coaches Shawn Forrest and Al Grushkin as co-interim head coaches. Forrest, in his sixth season at ASU, will be responsible for administrative duties with the team. Grushkin, who joined the ASU staff last season and has 28 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, will handle the competitive aspects of the program.
Nutt was the 14th head coach in the history of the program. He led the 2006-07 team to the Sun Belt Conference West Division championship and to the 1999 NCAA Tournament. Nutt was named the league's coach of the year in 1998 after ASU won the conference's regular-season title.
Arkansas State will begin an immediate national search for a head men's basketball coach to guide a program that has over 1,000 all-time victories.
