Infignos Media - Samford fires head basketball coach Jimmy Tillette

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Samford fires head basketball coach Jimmy Tillette

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

He's spent the last 15 years as the head basketball coach at Samford University, taking the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament in 1999 and 2000. Today, Jimmy Tillette was fired as the Bulldogs coach. Tillette tells me that he's had a great run at Samford and with a team loaded with underclassmen, is sorry he couldn't continue running the program. Tillette is the winningest coach in Samford basketball history with an all-time record of 229-219. Tillette says that he considers himself privileged to have coached dozens of fine young men, but opted out of a TV interview, saying he does not want to come across as self-serving.

"This is not a pity party- this came about very suddenly and it is what it is… I have my family with me and my life goes on," Tillette said. Jimmy Tillette is a native of New Orleans, LA, and is a former assistant coach at Tulane and Mississippi State. He has spent over 22 years at Samford as an assistant and head coach. Tillette replaced John Brady as Samford head coach in 1997. Samford's Director of Athletics Martin Newton issued the following statement on Tillette's dismissal Tuesday afternoon:

"We are grateful for Jimmy and all that he has accomplished here at Samford. He has been a beacon for our University and for this athletic department for a number of years, but we ultimately feel that it is in the program's best interest to go in another direction. After substantial consideration, we have decided to make a change in our head men's basketball coaching position," Newton said. Samford's President Dr. Andrew Westmoreland made the following statement about the chance in leadership for the Bulldogs basketball team:

"I affirm the appreciation of the Samford community for Coach Tillette, and I have enduring respect for his intellect and his integrity. Likewise, I support Mr. Newton as he leads us in the process of shaping a new direction for our men's basketball program," Westmoreland said.

A national search for a new head coach of the Samford Bulldogs basketball team will begin immediately, according to a statement from the university.

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Keywords: Samford, NCAA TOurnament, Jimmy Tillette, Bulldogs,

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