West Virginia Coach to Retire

Gale Catlett, mired in the worst season of his 30-year career, announced his retirement as West Virginia’s coach Thursday at Morgantown, W.Va., one day after blasting his team for its poor performance and lack of pride.

The 61-year-old Catlett said the retirement would be effective at the end of the season. His assistant and nephew, Drew Catlett, was promoted to bench coach.

“Obviously the pressure of an unsuccessful season weighed upon him, but there was absolutely no pressure from the university,” athletic department spokesman Mike Parsons said.

Catlett will “still be involved ‘til the end of the season,” school spokeswoman Shelly Poe said. However, she could not provide specifics, including whether Catlett would run practices.

Catlett’s retirement comes less than a week after he returned to the team after missing two games because of an infection, and a day after the Mountaineers (8-15, 1-10 Big East) lost to Virginia Tech, 78-63.

This season’s team has one of the worst records in West Virginia history, and the worst in Catlett’s 24-year tenure.

Catlett is West Virginia’s winningest coach, compiling a 439-276 record.

In 30 years as a college coach, he is 565-320. He is one of 45 Division I coaches who have more than 500 wins.

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Drew Gooden, the Big 12’s leading scorer and rebounder, was held out of practice Thursday and his status for No. 2 Kansas’ game Saturday against Baylor was uncertain.... Mount St. Mary’s (Md.) fired assistant basketball coach Don Anderson as it investigates allegations he improperly placed phone calls to Cameroon on behalf of a player. The school suspended sophomore forward Patrick Atangana, Athletic Director Harold Menninger said.