Dickerson Leaves Mocs Head Coaching Position

Bill Stacy, Chancellor of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, has announced that Henry Dickerson, Head Men's Basketball Coach, will no longer serve the campus in that capacity.

Stacy and Dickerson met to review last season's progress in meeting the goals and objectives established for 2001-2002 and approved by the Executive Committee of the university's Athletic Board. Among their observations were that Dickerson's team won the Southern Division in the Southern Conference and led the league in attendance. The Mocs finished with a 16 and 14 record in the fifth year of his head coaching tenure at the university. However, distractions of student conduct off the basketball court hampered the team. Attendance dropped for the third year in a row. For the fifth season, the Mocs saw no tournament championship or post-season NCAA or NIT participation.

Stacy said the decision was mutual adding that it is simply time for a change.

Dickerson has been asked to continue to serve the University, reassigned in UTC student services, recruitment and/or intramural activities. Stacy indicated that vacant positions in those staff areas are customary and that Dickerson would provide excellent student support. Stacy expressed appreciation to Coach Dickerson for his strong loyalty to UTC and for the strong ethics and integrity that he maintained throughout his tenure in coaching. Stacy saluted Dickerson as the kind of man to whom he would entrust his own son.

"It is difficult to see the Dickerson era conclude, but UTC can always be proud of the leadership brought to the university by a first class gentlemen," Stacy said. Stacy expressed high satisfaction that the teaching, advising, and counseling of more UTC students by Dickerson will now be possible as he is reassigned to student services.

It is now time for the university to begin a new era in filling the McKenzie Arena with basketball that not only complements the mission of UTC but brings an opportunity for a new head coach to create the best in collegiate basketball. A search process to select a new head coach will begin shortly. The Executive Committee of the Athletics Board is searching for a new Athletics Director. The timing of the basketball search will allow the newly chosen Athletic Director "last say" in the choice of a new head coach.

The university has named Kenny Siefert as its Interim Head Coach to handle all basketball operations, player relationships, contractual matters, etc. until the new Head Coach is in place. All existing university scholarship contracts with students will continue to be honored. Stacy said that Coach Siefert's previous head coaching experience will serve UTC well in the interim.