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UD's Gregory bids farewell in emotional team meeting

Staff photo by Chris Stewart UD Head Coach Brian Gregory talks to his team during a second-half timeout against Xavier on Sunday, Feb. 27, at UD Arena.

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University of Dayton basketball coach Brian Gregory seemingly can't bear to watch near the end of a disappointing 69-51 loss to Saint Louis on Senior Night, March 2.

Staff photo by Ron Alvey University of Dayton basketball coach Brian Gregory seemingly can't bear to watch near the end of a disappointing 69-51 loss to Saint Louis on Senior Night, March 2.

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UD's Brian Gregory makes top 9 topics trending on Twitter Monday morning, March 28, 2011, after reports surfaced that he will be taking the head coaching job at Georgia Tech.

Screen capture of Twitter UD's Brian Gregory makes top 9 topics trending on Twitter Monday morning, March 28, 2011, after reports surfaced that he will be taking the head coaching job at Georgia Tech.

By Doug Harris, Staff Writer Updated 11:27 AM Monday, March 28, 2011

University of Dayton basketball coach Brian Gregory is leaving after eight years to become coach at Georgia Tech, replacing the fired Paul Hewitt.

Georgia Tech will hold a press conference at 5 p.m. to announce the hiring.

Gregory broke the news to the Flyers during what one player described as an emotional meeting at 7:30 a.m. today.

“I know I’ve been hearing a lot, and I didn’t want it to be true,” junior co-captain Josh Parker said. “When he called the meeting, there was a lot going through my head.

“Everybody pretty much had tears. Even though he won’t be around here, we have to continue to work and stay hungry.”

The Flyers finished 22-14 this season, losing in the first round of the NIT. Gregory, who spent 10 seasons as a Michigan State assistant, had a 172-94 record at UD with five postseason appearances. He was 70-58 in the Atlantic 10, winning a division title in 2004 and twice reaching the final of the league tournament.

Gregory said Sunday night that he hadn’t gotten an offer from Georgia Tech, but that apparently changed after Richmond coach Chris Mooney interviewed Sunday and then signed a 10-year extension with the Spiders.

Gregory will have to energize a sagging program. The Yellow Jackets went 13-18 this season and often played in a half-empty Alexander Memorial Coliseum. They failed to sell out any games this season at the 9,100-seat arena.

Hewitt went 190-162 in 11 seasons with a 72-104 record in the ACC. He took the Yellow Jackets to the NCAA finals in 2004. But dwindling attendance hurt his hopes of remaining on the job.

“Certainly the atmosphere around the arena, the lack of fan support was certainly something that played into the decision,” Georgia Tech Athletic Director Dan Radakovich said at the news conference announcing Hewitt’s firing two weeks ago.

Contact this writer at (937) 225-2125 or dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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