CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — DePaul has placed its men's basketball program in the hands of former Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann.
Holtmann is 52, so he remembers DePaul's halcyon days, but he's also no fool.
“The landscape of college athletics has changed dramatically since those times — the ’70s and ’80s — but the qualities that make up a successful program have not changed: talented players playing for something bigger than themselves; players who are committed to having a real love and passion to play the game; university alignment from top to bottom; and good, old-fashioned hard work,” he said.
Holtmann will put in the work; his coach of the year honors in the Big East and the Big Ten prove that. But he'll have to navigate the transfer portal and the new pay-for-play era to get the Blue Demons back to the NCAA Tournament.
“We have a great opportunity to fill this arena on a Saturday afternoon,” he said. “We have a great opportunity to recruit outstanding players from an incredible city, a great state … a great opportunity to practice in a new, state-of-the-art practice facility in the coming years.
“A great opportunity to hear our names called on Selection Sunday for the first time in a couple of decades.”
DePaul went 3-29 in 2023 and became the first team to go 0-20 in league play. Including the conference, the Blue Demons have lost 34 of 35 Big East games.
Holtmann, on the other hand, arrives with a winning record of 251-171 over 13 seasons at Ohio State, Butler and Gardner-Webb — as well as seven NCAA Tournament appearances.
“We will get there,” Holtmann said. “We will get there, and when we do, we’ll celebrate together with all those who love and care about this great university.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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