This Saturday marks four years since Richard Pitino was dismissed by the University of Minnesota. He has swiftly transformed New Mexico into one of the top teams in the Mountain West, making him a sought-after candidate in the coaching market this off-season.
It was said that there was considerable excitement surrounding him and Florida State before they chose to hire Luke Loucks. As reported by On3’s Joe Tipton, Pitino’s name is “gaining attention” at Virginia as they seek to fill the position of longtime head coach Tony Bennett, who unexpectedly retired ahead of the season. Tipton went on to say, “It seems he could indeed be the top contender.”
Pitino is just 42 years old and holds a record of 245-184 (.571) in his 13 years as a head coach at the Division I level. In just four years, he has transitioned from being let go at Minnesota to being a contender for one of the premier positions in the ACC, if not the entire realm of college basketball.
Virginia claimed the National Championship in 2019, marking the final season Minnesota took part in the NCAA Tournament. Pitino is on track for his second consecutive participation in the NCAA Tournament with New Mexico, while the Gophers aim to return to a .500 record.
A great deal can occur over four years, yet it’s reasonable to assert that Pitino has come out ahead in the split with Minnesota. Regardless of whether he advances to a larger position, he has developed New Mexico into one of the leading mid-major programs nationally, and a spot in the NCAA Tournament appears more distant than ever for the Gophers.
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