Virginia Tech Fires Basketball Coach Seth Greenberg

Published: 23^rd Apr 12 3:16 pm

by Marian Hinton
Texas Sports Blogger

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Virginia Tech Fires Basketball Coach Seth Greenberg

Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

After nine seasons, the Virginia Tech Hokies and basketball coach Seth Greenberg have decided to part ways.

News of the firing broke early Monday afternoon, though it did not become official until the school’s 4:00 press conference.

The news came as a surprise to Greenberg, who earlier today, when asked by a Washington Post reporter, joked that he was still employed, therefore it couldn’t be about him.

Unfortunately for him, he was wrong.

In the official announcement at this afternoon’s press conference, VT athletic director Jim Weaver issued the following statement on the firing:

“We have terminated Seth Greenberg’s tenure as men’s basketball coach… We will engage in the coach search beginning tomorrow…I want to thank Coach Greenberg for his dedication and effort in leading Virginia Tech in the early years of ACC membership.”

In his nine years at Virginia Tech, Greenberg posted a 170-123 record, but the program made the NCAA Tournament just one time under his watch. The last time that he led the Hokies to the Big Dance was during the 2006-07 season when they were ousted in the second round.

This past season, the Hokies finished the season with a 16-17 record , their second sub .500 season under Greenberg. They went 4-12 in ACC play.

Although administrators told the Washington Post back in February that the head coach’s job security was “not even a topic,” the last few years have shown a troubling trend for the program, which has now lost five assistants in the past four years and is on their 3rd director of basketball operations in as many years.

Since Greenberg still has four years remaining on his contract, the school will have to pay him a buyout of $1.2 million.

Greenberg has been a head coach in the NCAA for 22 seasons, having spent time at Long Beach State and South Florida before transitioning to Virginia Tech.

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