AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) - - Villanova checked out Buffalo for NCAA tournament sub-regionals two times during George Halcovage's time on the Wildcats' training personnel. In in between championship game seasons, Villanova lost as the No. 1 overall seed here in 2017. That upset enabled Halcovage to be a spectator at the Final Four in Glendale, Arizona, where he fulfilled his better half Lizzie.
" So Buffalo holds a special location in my heart," George Halcovage mused on Monday. "I didn't understand it at the time."
With the Halcovages anticipating their first kid in the coming months, that serendipity was celebrated at another significant life occasion for the couple when the long time Villanova assistant was introduced as the brand-new University at Buffalo males's basketball coach at Alumni Arena.
" I knew this was a special location," Halcovage stated. "I understood this was a place where Lizzie and I can make a house, and I can do unique things on the basketball court."
The 37-year-old Halcovage begins his first head training task after 15 seasons at Villanova. He began as a graduate assistant, apprenticing alongside Joe Mihalich Jr., kid of the previous Niagara University coach. Halcovage eventually rose to the position of associate head coach under Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame conscript Jay Wright.
Following Wright's retirement, Halcovage worked this previous season under Kyle Neptune, a previous Niagara assistant who encouraged Halcovage on making the move from Philadelphia to Western New York.
" It's going to be a little colder," Halcovage remembered Neptune informing him. You are going to feel like home."
Halcovage said he felt comfort with UB from his first discussions with athletic director Mark Alnutt. He was not concerned that UB's search had actually at first concentrated on a variety of other prospects who ultimately selected to remain in their current positions prior to occurring to Halcovage.
" You discover in this service going through these processes, you never understand how you are going to get the task that you want and love to be at," Halcovage said. "I'm just so pleased the procedure went the way it did for me to have the chance.
" When I got the call to state would you be intrigued in UB, I looked at my wife, and she resembled - - yes!"
Alnutt stated the UB task "was highly searched for" in his introductory comments and later asserted that "we weren't declined by numerous individuals." But the advertisement acknowledged the 18-day training search had "pivots and turns." In contrast to Halcovage, one candidate passed on the opportunity because his better half did not want to relocate to
Buffalo.
" I believe we ended up in a great area," stated Alnutt, applauding Halcovage as "overly prepared, prepared to take that next action," and "somebody who has actually been related to a program that has a history and rich tradition of winning."
Halcovage replaces Jim Whitesell, who went 70-49 in 4 seasons, however couldn't get the Bulls back to the Mid-American Conference champion standard developed by previous coaches Nate Oats and Bobby Hurley.
UB went to 4 NCAA tournaments in 5 years under Hurley and Oats, reaching the 2nd round in each of Oats' last 2 seasons and accomplishing a nationwide top 25 ranking in 2019. UB completed 15-17 this year, the program's very first losing campaign given that 2013, the last season prior to Hurley got hired.
" Obviously there is going to be pressure to put a basketball group on the floor that completes to win championships in the MAC and has the chance to make the NCAA tournament," Halcovage stated. We got to the point," at Villanova, "where individuals were anticipating us to get to the Final Four every year."
Halcovage's first order of business will be "constructing a vibrant staff to really assist me take this to the next level." The Bulls will be included on the transfer market, with several of UB's present players currently in the portal, consisting of top guards Curtis Jones and Zid Powell.
" We have a great deal of great players and talent here that really healthy UB and I simply desire them to totally comprehend our vision as a program progressing and likewise comprehend a bit about their private one also," Halcovage said.
" I want to have a chance for everyone to be here," included Halcovage, while likewise indicating that discovering skilled players in the transfer website will be a priority in "making sure we have a team that can head out and contend."
Making the most of recent modifications to NCAA rules enabling professional athletes to be spent for their name, similarity and image will factor into UB's success in recruiting and keeping talent.
" You was familiar with the rules and work within the context of the rules," Halcovage said. "But there is a level of comprehending that it's crucial as a coach and being for it and telling everybody who wants to do it at the school you are at that you really value that they are so happy to support the student-athletes. I believe
Buffalo's facilities is set up to do that at a high level.
" We are going to embrace it. We clearly are not going to make our entire program about NIL. I do not want to do that either. We wish to get people who wish to be here for what UB has to use."
Halcovage's delighted arrival at UB triggered him to note how his mentor started his training profession as an assistant at neighboring University of
Rochester from 1984-86. Wright then moved to
Philadelphia to coach at Drexel prior to signing up with the Villanova personnel in 1987.
" I believe we turned stories," Halcovage joked.
" Words can't reveal whatever that Coach Wright has actually indicated to me," Halcovage continued. "What I discovered most from him is that if you strive and you earn it, you are going to be prepared for anything. I believe that's the part that he took, and I'm actually thankful that's the course I required to get here today."
Wright's knowledge, Halcovage concluded, "likewise taught me to wed the best lady."
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