McConnell-Miller Will Not Return As Women's Basketball Coach

BOULDER - The University of Colorado Athletic Department has determined that it will not retain Kathy McConnell-Miller as its head women's basketball coach, athletic director Mike Bohn announced Monday afternoon.

Bohn said the school will begin an immediate search for a successor, the first step of which will be assembling a search committee. 

In five seasons as coach of the women's team, McConnell-Miller compiled an overall record of 65-88, which included a 20-60 mark in Big 12 Conference play.  This past winter, the Buffaloes opened with an 11-3 record but eventually finished the season with a 13-17 mark.  CU ended the year with a 72-65 loss to Baylor in the Big 12 Conference tournament on March 11. 

Colorado's best year under McConnell-Miller was in 2007-08, when the Buffs were 19-15 overall, reaching the semifinals of the Women's NIT in the postseason; the 19 wins are the sixth most by CU since the old Big Eight Conference became the Big 12 in 1996.  In the two years since, the Buffaloes have gone 24-35 with a 6-26 record in the Big 12.

McConnell-Miller was hired as just the sixth head coach in the 30-year history of the program in April 2005, and her current contract, her second with the school, was to run through the 2012-13 season.  Parties representing McConnell-Miller and the university are discussing issues related to her contract of employment and hope to reach agreement in the upcoming days.

Bohn will comment on the decision not to retain McConnell-Miller at the appropriate time upon resolution of those issues.

The University will provide additional information about the status of McConnell-Miller's contract negotiations and its search for a new head women's basketball coach as it becomes available.