Chapman Changes Coaches : Strothers Is Replaced by Prospero, Preferred Choice of Players

For the second time in 3 days, the Chapman College men’s basketball team has a new head coach.

Former men’s assistant Rich Prospero was named interim coach for the remainder of the season on Friday, Athletic Director Walt Bowman announced. The announcement came 2 days after Bowman had fired Coach Kevin Wilson and replaced him with Lindsay Strothers, a first-year assistant for the women’s team.

Several players said Thursday they were unhappy with the selection of Strothers because of his unfamiliarity with the men’s program and had considered boycotting Friday’s opening game against Southern California College unless Prospero were named coach.

But Bowman said the players’ reaction had nothing to do with his decision to change coaches.

“No one ever came to me and said they were going to boycott,” Bowman said.

“We feel it is the best interest of the school and the program. Rich not only knows the Xs and O’s, he knows the players.”

Prospero, a 1987 graduate of Chapman, has been an assistant at Chapman for 3 seasons. Strothers will be Prospero’s assistant.

In a news release Friday the school announced that, “The men’s basketball coaching changes which started Wednesday have been completed with the elevation of Rich Prospero to interim coach.”

The release on Wednesday read: “Mr. Lindsay Strothers, assistant coach in the women’s basketball, program, has been named interim coach for the remainder of the season.”

Said Bowman: “Kevin and Rich had a very close relationship, so we didn’t know how involved Rich wanted to be. He talked to me about 10 seconds after (Wilson was fired) Wednesday, and we did not want him to make a decision right there. I told him to wait and think about it.”

Prospero met with Bowman Thursday morning and again on Friday. Strothers and Mike Weathers, associate athletic director, also were present. After the meeting, the second coaching change was announced.

“I let Walt know that I wanted to be involved in any capacity,” said Prospero, a former Tustin High School player. “I think they wanted to see where my loyalties were.”

Said Strothers, in Friday’s news release: “When Walt told me that Rich wanted to be involved, I thought it would be best for him to run the show. Throughout the last 72 hours, all I’ve wanted to do is what is best for Chapman and the players.”

Wilson was fired in part for comments in a newspaper article last week, in which he expressed his frustration with his coaching duties at Chapman. On Oct. 6, Wilson had resigned as coach, effective when his contract expired in August.