Yaklich gets his head job, UIC
Per Jeff Goodman. https://twitter.com/goodmanhoops/status/1242190860789440512?s=21
Congratulations to a good coach and good guy.
Has to be tough moving your family from Illinois to Michigan to Texas back to Illinois again.
True, but his reward was a head job.
I’m sure that bank account softens that blow a bit
I may be wrong, but I think his family is still in Saline. This is his son’s senior year of high school IIRC.
What a shit senior year.
It was just his son that stayed in Saline (living with a friend or coach or something). Rest of the family went to Texas.
March 23rd, 2020 at 11:51 PM ^
Ugh, that’s even worse given the circumstances.
March 24th, 2020 at 12:57 PM ^
He has a daughter who should be a junior this year. A friend who is a counselor at the high school said she found out about Beilein leaving, during the day in class and didn't take it well at all. That's the only reason I bought it up.
What is a UIC?
University of Illinois Chicago I believe. Not the B1G one (which is UIUC)
Go Flames! I've been to a handful of their games over the years in Chicago. Want to see mid-major hoops in a near-empty arena with all of the usual trappings (band, cheerleaders, student section called the "Fire Pit")? UIC would be a fine choice.
University of Illinois - Chicago. A downtown Chicago university primarily known for its med school with a sports tradition and empty stadiums that reflects that. From a recruiting standpoint, Yaklich will be able to lean on some key advantages:
1) Close proximity to good Italian eateries since the school is in Little Italy.
2) The school is a close walk to both I-290 and I-90, and a somewhat further trek to the United Center where fellow mid major Chicago Bulls play.
3) It's a good med school
4) A storied history of tournament runs with losses in the NCAA Tournament first round in 1998, 2002 and 2004, sandwiched around a first round loss in the NIT in 2003.
Yaklich is a great choice to lead "the Steppingstones" program for the coming few years. I hope and fully expect he will do well.
Juwan will eventually leave for the pros.... maybe five years... we could do worse with a matured Yak as an option
Lavall is already at a bigger school in a better conference and has had success...why would Yak be higher on the list than him?
At least it's not Chicago St. Godspeed coach.
Woof. The WAC these days is an abomination outside of NMSU and maybe Grand Canyon.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:40 PM ^
woo bryce drew is back baby yeah
Horizon league seems like a fitting first HC spot. Interesting team for him though. They were the best Horizon league defense but the second worst offensive team in the league.
Good luck to Yak.
Curtis Granderson UIC legend
UIC used to have a hockey team that was part of the old CCHA. I watched them get their butts whooped several times at Yost in the early to mid-90s. They used to battle with Kent State (aka "Can't Skate") for the worst team in the league.
Go get ‘em coach Yak