Lickliter Fired from University of Evansville Today (5/5/22)

[IndianaHawkeye]

UE Men’s Basketball parts ways with Lickliter​

Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried, EdD, director of athletics at the University of Evansville (UE), has announced the departure of head men’s basketball coach Todd Lickliter, effective immediately.

“I have had the opportunity to meet with Coach Lickliter and it is obvious that he is an outstanding individual who cares greatly for this University and our student-athletes,” said Siegfried. “Todd and his staff have exemplified the true meaning and purpose of a Purple Ace. We wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”

Lickliter assumed the head coaching position on January 21, 2020 and directed the program through the COVID-19 pandemic. The highlight of his tenure came during the 2020-21 season when he orchestrated a 7-game Missouri Valley Conference turnaround while leading the Aces to a top five finish in the league standings.

A national search for Lickliter’s replacement will begin immediately.

 

[IndianaHawkeye]

Another Article - https://www.14news.com/2022/05/05/ue-parts-ways-with-coach-lickliter-entire-staff/

Plus some additional info from the Evansville Courier Press:

Two weeks into his tenure as the University of Evansville's new athletics director, Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried has made his first major decision.

He fired men's basketball head coach Todd Lickliter and the entire coaching staff on Thursday. Stadium's Jeff Goodman was the first to report the move.

Lickliter, 66, went 15-53 in two-plus seasons since taking the helm in January 2020. He told the Courier & Press during an exclusive interview in April that he would keep coaching the Aces until "they tell me I can’t."

The Purple Aces completed a 6-24 campaign this spring with the fewest wins and most losses in their Division I program history. Six players have entered the transfer portal, which closed on Sunday so the timing is unfortunate for the four remaining scholarship players as well as the four signees.

UE went just 2-16 in MVC play and ranked last in almost every statistical category. It played the second-slowest offense in the country and averaged the fifth-fewest points among 358 D-I schools.

 

[iabcuda]

Go, Ziggy.

 

[bdg8]

Crap. He only lasted 2 years at Evansville. We even hung onto his dead weight for 3

 

[RobSipe11]

Rumors in Indiana are saying Tom Crean may be the next Purple Aces coach.

 

[goodbyebobby]

Lick makes Bob Cummings look like Bear Bryant.

He is arguably the worst d1 coach, in any sport, in the last 25 years.

 

[Bank of Hawk]

 

[SSG T]

Lick makes Bob Cummings look like Bear Bryant.

He is arguably the worst d1 coach, in any sport, in the last 25 years.

Not even close. Whether it was him or Stevens that was responsible, the guy won 25+ games three times. Any coach who does that is nowhere near the worst in his sport, let alone any sport. If he was that bad, they'd have never had a winning season despite having Brad Stevens.

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[HawkHoops80]

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I've tried to cleanse myself from so much of my era that I forgot just how ridiculous college basketball shorts were in the late 00s. How did anyone run in those effectively? I'm also not some "Get off my lawn" Boomer either--these just genuinely look so impractical lol

 

[FWIW4922463]

Not even close. Whether it was him or Stevens that was responsible, the guy won 25+ games three times. Any coach who does that is nowhere near the worst in his sport, let alone any sport. If he was that bad, they'd have never had a winning season despite having Brad Stevens.

Now, now Mrs. Lickliter. It's time for Toddie to retire anyway. The facts speak for themselves: TL was a joke of a coach, and an argument could be made that all the money he took for "coaching" was accepted under false pretenses. Sorry, Mrs. L, but them's the facts. LOL

 

[NevadaHawk]

Well, Todd is accustomed to being fired. Might be time to consider retirement.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

15-53?

I wonder what Tom Izzo has to say about this completely unfair termination?

 

[isuisshit]

Rumors in Indiana are saying Tom Crean may be the next Purple Aces coach.

will Todd be indiana's next coach then?

 

[SSG T]

Now, now Mrs. Lickliter. It's time for Toddie to retire anyway. The facts speak for themselves: TL was a joke of a coach, and an argument could be made that all the money he took for "coaching" was accepted under false pretenses. Sorry, Mrs. L, but them's the facts. LOL

You do realize there is a massive gap between being "good" (which you seem to think I said...I didn't) and being "worst d1 coach, in any sport, in the last 25 years".

 

[hawkjt]

Read an article today in WSJournal about "Failing Upward".
A few individuals in organizations have perfected the art of being promoted despite continual failure.
Lick came to mind.

 

[Cougars_80]

Lick makes Bob Cummings look like Bear Bryant.

He is arguably the worst d1 coach, in any sport, in the last 25 years.

Frank Lauterbur was worse 4-28-1 from 1971 - 1973

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I've tried to cleanse myself from so much of my era that I forgot just how ridiculous college basketball shorts were in the late 00s. How did anyone run in those effectively? I'm also not some "Get off my lawn" Boomer either--these just genuinely look so impractical lol

The NBA around that time is to blame for that.

 

[goodbyebobby]

Frank Lauterbur was worse 4-28-1 from 1971 - 1973

Damn. Making Lick proud, of his own record.

 

[ssckelley]

Not often do you see someone become a very rich man doing something they are terrible at.

 

[HawkLogic]

Clearly Lick over achieved extracting $7 million or so from Iowa. Butler wasn't paying that well, so
it was the smart move to take the iowa job and put the iowa program into the toilet vs taking butler down.

 

[BurgHawk87]

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One of his three highlights isn't even a recorded stat. That's how you know you've made it.

 

[Ronman]

I remember the story about him going to Barta's office and begging for one more year, claiming he had just about turned it around. Instead, he walked out without a job. Maybe he could have done some damage with Marble, McCabe and Brust, but he had a very disconcerting habit of losing his best player year after year.

 

[LarryMullenJr.]

Seriously, I am supremely confident I could go 15-53 as a college coach.

 

[Big Ogie]

Lick makes Bob Cummings look like Bear Bryant.

He is arguably the worst d1 coach, in any sport, in the last 25 years.

I don't know. I think we've got you beat if we put up Darrell Hazell against Lick for worst D1 coach of any sport.

 

[Hawksfor3]

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Always enjoy this "Staple" here on the BB board.

 

[hawkifann]

Not even close. Whether it was him or Stevens that was responsible, the guy won 25+ games three times. Any coach who does that is nowhere near the worst in his sport, let alone any sport. If he was that bad, they'd have never had a winning season despite having Brad Stevens.

Agreed. This speaks more to someone who found his level.

 

[hawkifann]

Read an article today in WSJournal about "Failing Upward".
A few individuals in organizations have perfected the art of being promoted despite continual failure.
Lick came to mind.

Not sure why Lick came to mind. I have no interest in defending him, because he was atrocious at Iowa, but Iowa hired him immediately off a national COY season. That’s not at all “failing upward”.

 

[jberesford]

Not sure why Lick came to mind. I have no interest in defending him, because he was atrocious at Iowa, but Iowa hired him immediately off a national COY season. That’s not at all “failing upward”.

Ya, I don't get it neither. I wouldn't call being a MAC level assistant followed by NAIA coach an upward move after Iowa. If you want failing upward this is the wrong former Iowa coach.

 

[goodbyebobby]

Ya, I don't get it neither. I wouldn't call being a MAC level assistant followed by NAIA coach an upward move after Iowa. If you want failing upward this is the wrong former Iowa coach.

Alford seems to be the better example?

 

[hawkifann]

Alford seems to be the better example?

Yes, that’s a much better example. I think Lick was simply exposed as a bad coach and I think his success at Butler had a lot more to do with his predecessor and successor than him.

 

[cidhawkeye]

Frank Lauterbur was worse 4-28-1 from 1971 - 1973

1973 + 25 years…

 

[jberesford]

Alford seems to be the better example?

UCLA is no Marian but they've had a few good seasons and a few notable coaches...

Edit:. I guess it's important to note I wasn't just referring to job prestige, as New Mexico obviously isn't a legacy school like UCLA, but remember the contracts and what he got paid each step of his fail ladder.

 

[ICWestfan]

I remember the story about him going to Barta's office and begging for one more year, claiming he had just about turned it around. Instead, he walked out without a job. Maybe he could have done some damage with Marble, McCabe and Brust, but he had a very disconcerting habit of losing his best player year after year.

Was Mike Gatens in the room when that sit down occurred?

 

[Hawksfor3]

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Maybe Crean should go the Tim Miles route as an analyst and panelist on BTN.

 

[Ronman]

Was Mike Gatens in the room when that sit down occurred?

Maybe not physically, but I bet his presence, and that of his father, were felt.

 

[Rambler Hawk]

Sounds like Ziggy did his homework/due diligence…😉

 

[isuisshit]

Read an article today in WSJournal about "Failing Upward".
A few individuals in organizations have perfected the art of being promoted despite continual failure.
Lick came to mind.

Alfraud was the master at it.

 

[cidhawkeye]

Maybe not physically, but I bet his presence, and that of his father, were felt.

Why would Matt Gatens dad and grandpa both have a presence in the room?

 

[large78]

15-53?

I wonder what Tom Izzo has to say about this completely unfair termination?

I really don't think Tom cares, cause he didn't have to coach against him. He knew it was an easy W whenever he coached against Todd.