The Jeff Jones era at AU ended on April 3 when he was named the head men’s basketball coach at Old Dominion University.
A day earlier, Jones addressed the AU men’s basketball team about his departure.
“It was difficult,” Jones said as he held back tears. “The relationship with the kids, it’s why I do it. All those kids are here primarily because of me, I recruited them and I care for them. It’s difficult to say goodbye.”
Jones departure comes after 13 seasons of coaching at AU, leading the Eagles to their only two NCAA tournament appearances. Jones has been the only head coach to lead the team since AU joined the Patriot League in 2001.
“Sometimes timing is weird,” Jones said about his decision to leave AU. “Had this happened 10 years ago, I don’t know. I think the timing was right.”
Jones added that the resources and tradition at ODU made it an appealing job.
Despite finishing with his lowest win total overall and in conference play since the 2000-2001 season, Jones still holds the record for most wins by an AU coach at 212.
“I think there is a good chance for next year’s team,” Jones said. “I’ll be following very closely.”
Looking back on his career at AU, Jones said reaching the NCAA tournament in 2008 and 2009 were highlights.
“[AU] is a great place,” Jones said. “We didn’t have an abundance of resources. What we did have was a core group of people that cared, and this is an institution that gave me a chance to get back into coaching, and I’ll always be appreciative of that.”
Jones is still in the process of picking his coaching staff at Old Dominion and did not mention if he would be bringing any of his AU staff with him. He did throw his support behind associate head coach Kieran Donohue as a candidate for the vacant AU head coach position.
“He has been a valued and trusted and loyal assistant coach,” Jones said. “He knows this program as well as anybody and better than anybody coming in. I am hopeful and fully expect the administration to give him a hard look. He’s earned a shot.”
Donohue has worked under Jones for the head coach’s entire career at AU. The relationship between the two dates back to the University of Virginia when Jones was the head coach and Donohue a team manager. Donohue was named associate head coach during the 2011-2012 season.
Finding the replacement for Jones will be one of the first tasks for incoming Athletic Director Billy Walker.
In an April 8 phone interview, Walker said that news regarding the search for the new head coach would be released this week.
Walker added that the school would likely partner with an outside search firm in finding the new head coach.
The hiring of the next basketball coach would be the third major hire this year after the Eagles hired both a new athletic director and new head women’s soccer coach.
esaltzman@theeagleonline.com
