Chapman to Search for Coach : Basketball: Chapman confirms Boyd’s contract won’t be renewed. Committee to screen candidates to be formed.

ORANGE — Chapman University confirmed Monday that Bob Boyd’s contract as men’s basketball coach won’t be renewed and that the school will be forming a committee to search for a successor.

Athletic Director Dave Currey declined to give a reason for the decision to let Boyd go after three seasons. Boyd’s three-year contract, which reportedly paid him $60,000 annually, expires at the end of this month.

“Boyd has brought tremendous visibility and national recognition to our program,” Currey said. “His coaching career has been an institution in itself and I think he’s given Chapman’s basketball program a tremendous boost.”

Boyd, 61, couldn’t be reached for comment.

Chapman won only seven of 40 California Collegiate Athletic Assn. games during Boyd’s tenure, finishing in last place in each season. His teams were 30-50 overall. Chapman finished the season Saturday with a 67-54 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills and had records of 7-19 and 2-12 in the CCAA.

“We just need to win some more basketball games and become a little more competitive than we have been,” Currey said.

Jerry DeBusk, who was Boyd’s top assistant in all three seasons, remains on the staff and will continue recruiting players for next season, Currey said.

Currey said he hopes to form a search committee and hire a new coach as soon as possible to limit any recruiting disadvantages. The first day high school students can sign national letters of intent is April 15, but Division II schools such as Chapman usually don’t sign players immediately.