commences, three new significant
figures in Temple’s Athletic
Department will attempt to return the University’s fall sports back to athletic prominence.
First-year coach Al Golden will try to right the football team’s ship while new men’s basketball coach Fran Dunphy will attempt to reshape his team into the perennial NCAA Tournament contender it once was. A new lacrosse coach was added to continue the team’s ascent up the national rankings.
Golden was hired as Temple’s 24th coach last December, replacing Bobby Wallace, who compiled a 19-71 record over eight seasons at the helm.
Wallace announced that he would not seek a contract renewal last October, opening a search for a candidate that could breathe fresh air into a program that finished 0-11 last season and has not had a winning record
since 1990.
The athletic department chose Golden be that coach.
Prior to taking over Temple’s program, Golden spent the last five seasons as the defensive coordinator at Virginia. From 2001 to 2004, Golden’s defensive unit improved each season, finishing 18th in the nation in total defense in 2004.
Before his time at Virginia, Golden served as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater, Penn State, for coach Joe Paterno. Golden played tight end under Paterno from 1988 to 1991, and caught a late game-tying touchdown during the Lions 1990 upset of No. 1 Notre Dame in South Bend.
Perhaps the biggest change in Temple’s athletic landscape will come in November, when for the first time in 24 years, John Chaney will not be roaming the sidelines.
When Temple named Dunphy the Owls’ 17th coach last April, the Philadelphia
native became the first person to coach at two Big 5 schools.
Having spent the last 17 years at Penn, Dunphy compiled a school-record 310 wins, 10 Ivy League championships and guided
nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
Last season, he led Penn to a 20-9 record en route to another berth in the NCAA tournament. As a 15-seed, Penn battled second-seeded Texas to the final minutes, but ultimately fell 60-52.
Jeff Wilson, a 2004 graduate, will aid Dunphy’s transition to the Owls. Wilson
was named Director of Men’s Basketball Operations in July. Wilson served in the same capacity last season at Penn. As a Temple student, Wilson worked as a student assistant in Temple’s sports media relations office.
The administration also added a new Director
of Women’s Basketball Operations, naming Mary Wooley to the position. Wooley spent the last three seasons as a graduate assistant for the Owls, helping with community relations, film exchange and recruiting.
Another team that has seen its share in national rankings will also have a new face calling the shots this spring.
Bala Cynwyd native Bonnie Rosen was hired last week to take the lacrosse head coaching reigns.Rosen coached at Connecticut for the last 10 seasons. Rosen erected the Huskies program from scratch and turned it into a national threat. The Huskies won the ECAC championship in 2005 and broke into the Top 20 national rankings.
Rosen replaces Jennifer Ulehla, who resigned in July. Ulehla helped establish the program nationally during her two-year Temple tenure, compiling a 20-15 overall record while directing the Owls as high as 16th in the nation.
Kevin Maloney can be reached at kevin.maloney@temple.edu.
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