HARRISONBURG, Va. -- James Madison basketball coach John Thurston resigned Friday hours after the university announced it would not renew his contract at the end of this season.
Tom McCorry, a James Madison assistant who served as head coach for eight years at Trenton State in New Jersey, was named to fill Thurston's post on an interim basis, Sports Information Director Gary Michael said.
James Madison President Ronald Carrier announced earlier Friday that Thurston's contract would be allowed to expire at the end of this season.
'Obviously, there were concerns over whether Mr. Thurston could establish a basketball program with a good public image and one which maintained good relationships with the students, the players, the fans and the JMU faculty,' Carrier said.
Thurston guided the Dukes to the National Invitational Tournament last season. The Dukes are struggling with a 6-11 record this year, though Carrier said his concerns were 'amplified by actions and statements' this week by Thurston.
In Wednesday's game against Navy, Thurston played Claude Ferdinand, a player he suspended Jan. 20 for the remainder of the season because of academic considerations.
'I don't think playing Claude is the right thing to do,' Thurston was quoted as saying in Friday's editions of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, 'but what choice do I have?
'In a month, when I get fired and my daughter comes up to me and asks me if maybe we could have won a few more games with Claude and I could have kept my job, what do I tell her?'
A clause in Thurston's contract required that he be notified by Feb. 1 about his job status.
Consideration will be given to offering Thurston another position in the athletic deparment, Carrier said.
Thurston, who was not available for comment, coached the team to a 5-23 record two years ago in his first season. The Dukes went 20-10 last year and Thurston was named Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year.
