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McKay: `Today is a tough day for me'
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University of New Mexico athletics officials joined men's basketball coach Ritchie McKay at a news conference this afternoon to announce McKay's firing.
"Obviously, today is a tough day for me," McKay said. "I was privileged to coach at my dad's alma mater. I love this place. It's a great institution."
McKay's father, Joe McKay, played at New Mexico in the early 1960s. Ritchie McKay often cited his father's memory as one of the things that drew him to Albuquerque when he was hired in 2002 from Oregon State.
McKay said he and first-year UNM Athletics Director Paul Krebs had talked about a change during the season.
"I'm in full support of it," McKay said, referring to the timing of his dismissal.
Krebs said the administration was not "giving up on the season" but said the move was made because it had become difficult for the coaches to lead the program with much local and national speculation about McKay's job status.
"It's a difficult time," Krebs said. "There's families involved. I hope the fans give the support to the players and coaches that they deserve."
Krebs said lawyers for McKay and UNM are working out a financial settlement on the coach's contract. McKay's package at UNM is worth about $500,000, though his base salary is about $193,000.
The Lobos play at Utah on Saturday.
McKay and his staff are expected to finish the season with the Lobos, who are 15-13 overall, 4-9 in the Mountain West Conference.
The move climaxes a difficult season for McKay, who has a 82-67 record at New Mexico, including one NCAA Tournament appearance in 2005.
The Lobos opened the season 5-0 with what McKay said was his most talented team at New Mexico. But UNM, apparently beset by internal problems, began to struggle and quickly fell out of the conference race.
Attendance also became an issue: The Lobos, long one of the best draws in college basketball, had trouble attracting fans to The Pit, which seats 18,018 and for years had drawn averages of 17,000 or better.
An 81-74 loss to San Diego State in overtime Tuesday may have been the final straw, with a shattered McKay abruptly ending his postgame news conference.
UNM Sports Information Director Greg Remington said players were informed of the decision on McKay this afternoon.
"Not one person had a smile or a smirk or an indifferent look," said UNM forward Aaron Johnson. "Everyone's head went right down. It was like a domino effect."
McKay came to UNM from Oregon State in 2002. He also coached at Colorado State and Portland State.
