Mike Howells/The Collegian
Since information was initially leaked Tuesday afternoon, the much-anticipated announcement regarding men’s basketball coach Steve Cleveland’s Fresno State basketball future was finally released: Cleveland is stepping down.
In a Thursday night press conference, Fresno State Director of Athletics Thomas Boeh announced that Cleveland would no longer lead the men’s basketball program, and would instead assume the role as special assistant for director of athletics. Cleveland’s new role was a way of restructuring his contract, which was set to expire at the conclusion of the 2012-13 season. Instead, Cleveland will hold his new position with the athletics department until May 4, 2012 and will “remain at his current state level compensation,” as Boeh put it.
Since taking over a troubled program in 2005, Cleveland compiled a 92-98 record in six years and just two winning season, in which he took the Bulldogs to the National Invitational Tournament and finished with a 22-10 record. Since that season, Fresno State reeled off four straight sub .500 seasons, including a 14-17 (6-10 Western Athletic Conference) mark this past season.
“We’re always going to want the program to have integrity,” Boeh said. “Our first and foremost mission will always be to make sure that the program’s integrity and the institution’s integrity is protected at all costs. Coach Cleveland did that for us.”
While Cleveland said he has no regrets about the effort and attitude of his teams over the last six years, he does take full responsibility for the continuous unsuccessful seasons.
Cleveland took over the Fresno State program feeling the effects of NCAA sanctions left by preceding leadership and painfully low Academic Progress Rate scores. Cleveland restored both issues, but on-the-court struggles, coupled with depleted fan and booster support, now has Boeh and company searching for a new coach.
When Fresno State does appoint a new coach, which Boeh declined to discuss in detail, Cleveland said he will still back the program with whatever direction it chooses to go in.
“Will I have a discussion with the new coach? Probably so, and I’m going to do everything I can to help him and support him,” Cleveland said. “I want them to be successful.”
Boeh said that discussions regarding Cleveland and the program’s future began immediately after Fresno State’s first-round exit from the WAC Tournament nine days ago.
Cleveland stayed behind in Las Vegas, as did Boeh. The two met on Saturday and speculation began as to whether or not Cleveland would be the future face of the program.
Boeh said the discussions spilled over into this week, and the news that Cleveland would not return began to leak to many local and national media outlets.
The decision to let Cleveland go came after the final season in which Fresno State will be a WAC competitor. Next season, the Bulldogs will make the jump to the Mountain West Conference, a league Cleveland is very familiar with. Cleveland spent eight seasons leading Brigham Young to a 138-108 record, including three NCAA Tournament appearances.
But Cleveland was adamant that switching conferences would require heavy support from fans and the athletic department, no matter the team’s record.
Mike Howells/The Collegian
“It would be very naïve on everyone’s part in this room and this community to think that we could do business as usual and think that we’re going to have the kind of success in the Mountain West that we want,” Cleveland said. “It’s not going to happen. It has to be a change and people have to come out and support through difficult times and good times.”
With a small handful of players on hand watching the Thursday night announcement, Cleveland thanked Boeh, the media and the community. Cleveland also said he will begin having individual player meetings this morning at 9 a.m. and expects them to run into the afternoon.
“I want these young men to be a part of this program,” Cleveland said. “I want them to continue to be here and do what they need to do, and it’s important to me.”
Current recruiting also came into discussion. Fresno State already has one player, former George Mason player Kevin Foster, signed to a letter of intent, and 10 other players targeted on the recruiting trail as well. Cleveland said he hopes those players will still remain interested in Fresno State, but the targeted players will rest in the hands of whoever Boeh appoints to lead the program.
Cleveland’s associate head coach Jeff Reinert is in control of the program as of right now and will monitor team workouts with assistant coach Lee Moon. Cleveland had a meeting with his players and assistants prior to Thursday’s announcement, and left them with a lasting impression.
“I told them I loved them,” Cleveland said. “I told them that I would be in their lives not just in the next year or two, but I’m going to be in their lives the rest of their lives.”