NCAAM teams
Jeff Goodman, ESPN Insider 6y

Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley 'researching' move, source says

Rhode Island Rams, UConn Huskies, Pittsburgh Panthers

Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley had conversations with UConn and Pittsburgh on Monday and is considered the primary target for both openings but will sit down with Rams athletic director Thorr Bjorn on Tuesday before making a decision, sources told ESPN.

"He's not close to a decision yet," one source close to Hurley told ESPN. "He's still researching it all."

 

Hurley, 45, has been the top target of Huskies athletic director David Benedict since Benedict decided to fire Kevin Ollie. Hurley is 112-82 in six seasons and has taken the Rams to the NCAA tournament both of the past two years.

Sources told ESPN that Pittsburgh has also made Hurley its top target, but he prefers the UConn job because of the program's history. The Huskies have won four national titles in the past 20 years but have fallen off over the past few years under Ollie after winning the national championship in 2014. Pittsburgh's advantages include being a member of the ACC and likely offering more money.

URI lost to Duke on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Immediately afterward, Hurley didn't want to talk specifics about any openings.

"Listen, I could give a crap about who's got an opening anywhere," Hurley said. "I haven't thought about it for a second. I could care less what any other school in the country that's looking for a coach or talks about me on social media -- I could give two craps about that. My heart, my mind is with this program and these players that just lost a brutal game after having an amazing last couple seasons, and for me it's easy."

Hurley signed a seven-year deal last year worth a little more than $1 million per year. Bjorn recently told ESPN that he knows there will be opportunities coming Hurley's way but that he'll try to be creative in an effort to keep his coach in Kingston, Rhode Island. Bjorn also said he knows he can't match many of the high-major programs financially.

^ Back to Top ^