Kelly Graves new UO Coach

Oregon announces Kelly Graves as new women's basketball coach

EUGENE -- Oregon announced Monday evening that Gonzaga coach Kelly Graves has been hired as the new women's basketball coach.

Graves succeeds Paul Westhead, the coach who won NBA and WNBA championships but could not get Oregon into the women's NCAA tournament during his five seasons. The UO announced March 4 his contract would not be renewed when it expired March 31.

Graves, 51, is no stranger to the NCAA tournament. He has coached the Bulldogs in eight and guided Gonzaga to its 10th straight West Coast Conference championship this season, his 14th overall at the Spokane, Wash., private school. He has a career record of 317-136 that includes a previous head coaching job at St. Mary's from 1997-00.

Calls to Graves were not returned Monday evening. He will be formally announced Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at Matthew Knight Arena.

Oregon's last NCAA Tournament appearance was 2005; the Ducks finished 16-16 last season, ending with a second-round loss to Washington in the WNIT.

Graves' contract is for six years, but salary terms were not yet disclosed by the university. He visited Ducks' women's basketball players on Sunday before taking another day to decide.

DoubleDipper wrote:Well, that was disappointing.....#6 Gonzaga falls to #11 James Madison in College Station, 72-63.

With Gonzaga out of the tournament, will GU head coach Kelly Graves get an offer from UO?   I guess we'll find out.

A_Fan wrote:A yin and yang for the UP.  Too bad they couldn't get him, but at least he's not in the league any more.