Malorie Williamson
mwilli92@uwyo.edu
As the UW Men’s Basketball program switches gears in terms of new coaching, questions were raised about the hiring process of new head coach to the team Allen Edwards.
The retirement of Larry Shyatt did not come as much of a surprise to UW Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Burman. Burman said as early as February he believed Shyatt would be stepping aside as head coach of men’s basketball.
The selection of the new head coach needed to happen fast, Burman said.
“Head coaches have to move quickly,” Burman said. “Kids are coming for the coach.”
To avoid drama and potential loss of players, new coaches must be decided quickly. Spring is a big hiring season for athletics, Burman said at one point there were 45 Division One coach vacancies and 31 filled within two weeks.
Though many times hiring within a program can’t happen, that was Burman’s preference. He wanted to stay within UW walls.
A committee was put together and all three coaches that were already on staff were considered for the position. Interviews took place and Edwards was chosen as the best choice for the job.
Unlike a regular UW staff position, there is no application process for a coach’s position. Instead, a resume is submitted and if selected, a contract is signed.
Before the signing a committee must approve the person being considered.
“Hiring has to be approved by the board of trustees,” Amil Anderson, sports information director for UW men’s basketball, said.
In Edward’s case, from the time he was interviewed, he was approved within four days. A background search was done and on March 21 he signed his contract. The press conference to announce his acceptance of the position was held just a week later.
On the recent speculation that UW was under a hiring freeze, Associate Vice President for Communications and Marketing Chad Baldwin cleared the air.
“It’s not really accurate to say UW has a hiring freeze in place,” Baldwin said. “Rather, there are hiring restrictions in place; each request to hire someone must be approved by the president and UW’s vice-presidents.”
Edwards has already been approved by the board of trustees and signed his contract, which concludes his hiring process and locks him in for the job.
Burman congratulates Edwards on his new head coaching position, Burman added that Edwards was the best choice for the position in an already very successful basketball program.
“We have a good culture in the basketball program,” Burman said. “Coach Edwards will continue that and be able to move the program forward.”
Edwards’ signed a UW employment agreement agreeing to a contract from March 21 to April 2021.
