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| Rhode Island College athletics photo |
Rhode Island College men's basketball coach Bob Walsh has been hired as the head men's coach at Division I Maine.
He's the first Division III men's coach to make the jump directly to a D-I head coaching job since 2011.
Walsh will replace Ted Woodward, who was with Maine for the past 10 years. The Black Bears were 6-23 this past season.
"I am excited to welcome Coach Bob Walsh to the Black Bear family," athletic director Karlton Creech said in a release on May 7. "His time at Rhode Island College has been the most successful in the history of the program. In addition to his head coaching experience, Bob has 11 years of experience as a Division I assistant at Providence College, the University of San Diego and Iona College."
On May 6, Walsh's four-year contract was finalized. He will receive an annual salary of $100,000 in the first year, with a $5,000 increase in each of the next two years, and a $10,000 increase in the fourth year, bringing his annual salary to $120,000, effective July 1, 2017.
"I'm excited to begin the challenge of establishing a championship culture at the University of Maine as the leader of the men's basketball program," Walsh says. "I can't wait to be a part of the excellent academic and athletic culture at UMaine, and to embrace the energy and passion of the community."
From D-III to D-IThe list of coaches to go directly from D-III to D-I head coaching jobs since 1999 is relatively short. The most recent three coaches to move to D-I each had their best years at their new school this past season. Click on the links to see stories on each coach's jump. |
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| Coach, D-III school | D-I school | Year | Best result | Current job |
| Glen Miller, Connecticut College | Brown | 1998-99 | 2006-07: 22-9 | U.Conn assistant |
| Phil Rowe, Keene State | New Hampshire | 1998-99 | 2001-02: 11-17 | Endicott |
| Bo Ryan, UW-Platteville | UW-Milwaukee | 1998-99 | 2007-08, 31-5 | Wisconsin |
| Tony Shaver, Hampden-Sydney | William & Mary | 2002-03 | 2009-10: 22-11 | William & Mary |
| Doug Davalos, Sul Ross State | Texas State | 2005-06 | 2010-11: 16-16 | HS girls' basketball coach |
| Don Friday, Lycoming | St. Francis (Pa.) | 2007-08 | 2009-10: 11-19 | Penn St.-Harrisburg |
| Dave Paulsen, Williams | Bucknell | 2007-08 | 2012-13: 28-6 | Bucknell |
| Jim Hayford, Whitworth | E. Washington | 2010-11 | 2011-12: 15-16 | E. Washington |
The UMaine search committee, led by Seth Woodcock, UMaine associate athletic director for development, was charged with finding a candidate who had substantial and successful head coaching experience, substantial experience at the Division I level, New England recruiting connections, and the proven ability to build and maintain a high-achieving college basketball program with an emphasis on and record of academic achievement.
The news was originally reported by the Maine Sunday Telegram, citing multiple unnamed sources.
The Anchormen have gone 204-63 in nine seasons under Walsh. His teams have advanced to the Elite Eight in 2007 and have made three other trips to the Sweet 16.