Linder Resigns as Head Men’s Basketball Coach

Photo by: Robert Dunlap

3/17/2020 10:17:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Associate Head Coach Smiley Named Interim Head Coach

By: By Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GREELEY – Head men's basketball coach Jeff Linder has resigned from his position to take the head coaching job at the University of Wyoming. Over Linder's four years at Northern Colorado, he guided the Bears to a record of 80-50, including three consecutive 20-plus win seasons.

"I would like to thank Coach Linder for what he has done for UNC and our men's basketball program," Director of Athletics Darren Dunn said. "Under Coach Linder, our basketball team has excelled in the classroom and on the court and they have been great representatives of UNC. We wish Jeff, Kelli and their family all the best."

Associate Head Coach Steve Smiley has been elevated to Interim Head Coach. Smiley has been with the program since Linder's hire.

While at Northern Colorado, Linder and his staff made program history with three-straight 20-plus win seasons including winning the 2018 CollegeInsider.com Tournament. He coached the Big Sky MVP, Defensive Player of the Year three times, Newcomer of the Year, Top Reserve and Freshman of the Year in his four seasons at UNC. Linder was named the 2018-19 Big Sky Coach of the Year. Student-athletes earned All-Big Sky honors seven times and All-Academic recognition eleven times.

In his first season with Northern Colorado, Linder won 11 games and closed with a three-game winning streak while the program faced NCAA probation and a postseason ban. Walk-on Jonah Radebaugh won his first of three Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year awards that season while Jordan Davis earned third team all-conference honors.

The 2017-18 season was a historic one for UNC as the Bears captured the CIT Championship and won a school-record 26 games. The CIT title was the first national postseason championship for any school in Big Sky history. He coached the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year in Andre Speight, who broke the Big Sky record for points in a season with 855. Speight was named first team All-Big Sky and Jordan Davis was named to the third team.

The Bears posted their second straight 20-plus win season in 2018-19, capturing 21 wins as Davis won the Big Sky MVP award, Bodie Hume the Freshman of the Year and Radebaugh picked up his second Defensive Player of the Year honor. Davis was first team All-Big Sky and Radebaugh earned honorable mention. UNC finished in second place in the league and Linder was recognized as Big Sky Coach of the Year.

Linder's final season with Northern Colorado was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. UNC finished the year 22-9 and second in the Big Sky for the second straight season with a 15-5 conference record. Radebaugh was a unanimous first team All-Big Sky selection and earned his third Defensive Player of the Year award. Kai Edwards was named the Big Sky's Top Reserve and Hume second team All-Conference.

A search for the next head coach of the University of Northern Colorado men's basketball program is already underway. There will be no further comments until a new coach is named.

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