Wilson relieves French

Vanguard University men’s basketball coach Stephen French will no

longer coach the team because, “he had some frustrations with the way

things were going,” the school’s Athletic Director Bob Wilson said

Wednesday night. Wilson also said French stepped down as coach

because of a mutual agreement between Wilson and French.

“I feel bad,” French said. “This has been a great opportunity for

me. I feel sad for leaving. When you sign on as coach, you commit

yourself to the school, and at a certain point, you have to do the

right thing for the school and team. We have struggled for many

games, but I think they have time to salvage this season.”

Wilson, in his eighth year as AD, will assume the responsibilities

of the basketball team’s coach, effective immediately. Assistant

coach Jared Mandville will maintain his duties on the team and will

most likely be given more responsibilities to allow Wilson to perform

as athletic director.

“We felt like it was time the program needed some new leadership,”

Wilson said. “We came to a mutual agreement. It’s been a tough year

for Vanguard. We’ve had a number of injuries. When you lose three

players who are potential starters that adds to the frustration.”

French, who was in his fourth year, coached his last game with the

Lions, 5-15, 1-8 in the Golden State Athletic Conference, Tuesday

when Vanguard lost, 95-61, at Cal Baptist. The 34-point setback was

the Lions’ largest loss of the season.

French compiled a 38-73 record in three and a half seasons,

guiding his teams to the playoffs the past three years. French, who

worked as assistant coach at Concordia for seven years before coming

to Vanguard, said he wasn’t sure if he would get back into coaching.

The Lions have 11 games left on their schedule.

They have lost 13 of their past 14 and are on a five-game losing

streak.

“I had great expectations for this season,” French said. “We had a

great group of guys. We made an extra point during the off-season to

get guys who are unselfish. I never had a group that worked as hard

as they did during the preseason workouts. Every team goes through

stuff and we were not able to regroup. We haven’t been able to

recover.”

Senior guard Sean Corkery is out for the year because of knee

injury he suffered in the first game of the season. Junior guard Ryan

Moreau is trying to overcome a wrist injury. Leviticus Williamson, a

senior forward, left the team due to personal reasons in late

December, Wilson said. French said Williamson violated a team rule

and French suspended him from the squad.

Williamson still attends Vanguard and is trying to graduate this

semester.

Last year, seniors Shane McKim and Damion Morbley quit the team

before Vanguard’s final game, the first round of the GSAC Tournament.

Last season still proved to be French’s most successful year, as the

Lions finished 13-17, 9-11 in the GSAC.

Vanguard will play at Biola Saturday, which will end the first

round of GSAC play. Wilson said he plans to produce a job

announcement of the opening next week.

“We doubt we will get anything until the end of the season,”

Wilson said. “I would like to have someone in place after the first

of April.”