Whatever undisclosed issue that kept Terry Carroll from his final four months coaching at the University of Denver did not keep him from getting another job.
The former DU men’s basketball coach, who was released from the school March 3 after an extended and unexplained leave of absence, was hired last week as head coach at junior college power Southeastern Community College in West Burlington, Iowa.
Carroll, 52, said Monday he still couldn’t publicly talk about his illness while in Colorado and the grounds for his departure from DU. But he said he is thrilled with how everything turned out.
“I’m really happy, and it’s a great opportunity for me and I’m really looking forward to it,” Carroll said from Iowa. “It’s a great school, (with) a tremendous history behind the basketball program. And they have good community and fan support. I’m just really looking forward to it.”
Carroll has strong basketball roots in Iowa, having coached at Indian Hills, a JC in Ottumwa, and at Iowa State in Ames. The Iowa native now takes over one of the premier JC programs in the country.
The BlackHawks won the National Junior College Athletic Association championships in 2000, 2003 and 2004 and are the first JC program to produce 1,500 victories. The BlackHawks finished 16-13 last season under Tim Walsh, who also is the school’s athletic director.
Carroll’s wife, Barb, is happy to return to Iowa, where the couple’s two children are going to college. Stephanie, 23, will attend graduate school at the University of Iowa this fall and Billy, 19, is at Simpson College in Indianola.
Combined, Carroll and the BlackHawks have won five national championships since 1997. Carroll coached Indian Hills to 1997 and 1998 national titles before leaving to become an assistant at Iowa State.
Carroll was successful at DU until last season, when the Pioneers finished 4-25. DU was one victory short of making the 2005 NCAA Tournament, and Carroll was named the 2005 Sun Belt Conference coach of the year.
He finished 79-99 at DU, but was on his leave during the last 15 games.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
