Bowling Green women’s basketball coach Curt Miller withdrew his name Wednesday from consideration for the Colorado State job.
Miller, a Rams assistant coach for three seasons (1998-2001) under Tom Collen, reportedly had CSU as one of the exemptions in his buyout clause.
No offer was made to Miller or the other candidates who interviewed Monday at DIA. Boise State coach Jen Warden and Kansas State associate head coach Kamie Ethridge also met with athletic director Mark Driscoll and his staff.
Bowling Green officials said they didn’t raise the ante for Miller, who received a new contract before the season, to stay. Miller is proud about having the youngest starting lineup (a freshman, three sophomores and a junior) in last month’s NCAA Tournament.
“We have something special going on here at Bowling Green,” Miller said Monday in a prepared statement. “Colorado State is a great school with a tremendous basketball tradition. I was flattered that they contacted me, and appreciated the opportunity to speak with them.”
Driscoll is planning to bring in finalists to tour campus and meet with the players. Arrangements were still unsettled Wednesday.
“Curt just had a really good team coming back and wanted to think it all through,” Driscoll said. “He has a lot of loyalty, and that was the reason we liked him.”
Warden has been reluctant to discuss the CSU vacancy and said “we’ll see what direction occurs.”
Warden lost two players (one to early graduation and one to transfer) last month, and an assistant coach this week.
She has strong recruiting ties to the state as a Centaurus High School and University of Colorado graduate, working on former CU coach Ceal Barry’s staff (1997-2002) prior to taking the Boise State job. The Broncos finished 10-19 last season (4-14 Western Athletic Conference).
Ethridge played for Texas’ 1986 national championship team and was a member of the 1988 U.S. gold medal Olympic team. She has been at K-State for nine years.
Driscoll wouldn’t rule out expanding the list.
“It depends on how things go. We want to move along quickly,” he said, adding that in his mind there is no clubhouse leader.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
