Prioleau leaving for Iowa State

In a bit of a head scratching move, MU assistant coach, Jean Prioleau is leaving to become an assistant coach at Iowa State for new coach, Greg McDermott, according to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=2

In Rosiak's article, Crean is quoted as saying that the position will be filled very soon and that he already has his eyes on the replacement. One obvious replacement would be Tim Buckley, former MU assistant and recently fired Ball State head coach, although Buckley might be in line for the Canisius head job, as reported by the Ball State message board and the Buffalo News. http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060401/1050830.asp

Another obvious candidate is Jon Harris, former MU cager, who has spent the last three years on the staff of former MU assistant and current UWGB head coach, Tod Kowalcyk, and is currently Coach K's top assistant. Harris came in mid-season during the Final Four run in 2002-2003 as a graduate assistant, and provided a spark on the staff in helping out big men Robert Jackson and Scott Merritt in practice.

If Crean wants to hire from within, there is also current director of basketball operations, Todd Townsend, and former MU star and NBA player, Tony Smith, who served as a special assistant this year while finishing his undergraduate degree. Of course, former MU star, Brian Wardle is also on the staff at UWGB, and there are many other options outside the Marquette family who could fill Prioleau's spot.

We wish Coach Prioleau luck in the future, and we're very disappointed he has decided to leave. This was almost certainly Coach Crean's best coaching year to date, and that was thanks in no small part to the wonderful assistant coaches he had in place this season.