Bombarded with calls from irate alumni and fans, Fayetteville State University rehired men’s basketball coach Rick Duckett on Tuesday.
 Duckett |
The 40-year-old Duckett expressed relief and gratitude to his supporters. Duckett received about 10 phone calls an hour for several hours Tuesday morning before going to his office at Capel Arena, where he sought refuge from the deluge of calls.
“I’ve gone through the gamut in the last few days,” Duckett said. “It’s been the most difficult time in my professional life. I prayed all weekend about this. God was in this.
“Thankfully, a wrong was made right. It means if you do the right things and trust in God, things will work out. I have tremendous faith.”
FSU had little official response. McLeod, through spokeswoman Lauren Burgess, said, “It’s a personnel issue that we can’t comment on.” It was the same statement he released Monday in response to Duckett’s firing.
Small referred all questions to Burgess.
Duckett’s supporters greeted his return with cheers.
“I’m really excited,” said sophomore guard Pat Garrett. “I’m glad they did the right thing by keeping him on.”
The controversy started Friday morning, when Small told Duckett that he would not renew the coach’s contract because he “wanted to take the program in another direction.” All FSU coaches work with one-year contracts that are renewed annually.
Duckett said he tried to meet with McLeod on Friday afternoon and on Monday to discuss the matter. He said McLeod did not return his phone calls.
The firing angered alumni and fans, who besieged the school with complaints. Burgess said she didn’t know how many phone calls the chancellor’s office received.
A source in the athletic department, who asked not to be identified, said the department’s phone started ringing at 8:02 a.m. and did not stop until the end of the day. Several alumni said they would stop donating money to the school unless Duckett was reinstated, the source said.
Another athletic department source said some of the calls were threatening, and all were pro-Duckett. There were 20 to 30 calls every hour. “It was like Hiroshima around here,” said the athletic department official.
Duckett received widespread support, ranging from his players to state Sen. Larry Shaw to other coaches in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Duckett has a 76-57 record in five seasons. His 57.1 percent winning percentage is the highest of any Fayetteville State men’s basketball coach since the school joined the CIAA in 1954. The Broncos were 17-10 this season. They won 12 of their final 15 games, including seven straight at one point, which was their longest winning streak in seven years.
Duckett has had only one losing season at the school, which came as a surprise to Small on Monday. “One losing season?” Small said. “That’s what your records show?”
Duckett has guided the Broncos to a division championship, an appearance in the CIAA Tournament title game and a trip to the tournament semifinals.
His players have succeeded in the classroom as well. His team had the highest overall grade-point average in the CIAA for three straight years, from 1995-97. All but one player who completed his eligibility at FSU under Duckett has earned a degree. That player is working toward earning his degree.
Duckett’s CIAA colleagues cited his classroom and coaching records as reasons they support him.
“I am so happy he’s coming back,” said Steve Joyner, coach at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte. “It’s good to see that there was a second consideration. He is very well-liked by coaches in this league. I’m sure all the coaches in the league are excited and happy that he will be back.”
Virginia Union University coach Dave Robbins, who has won two Division II national championships, called Duckett the “best coach in the CIAA.”
“This is great,” Robbins said. “There’s no one in this league that has more class than Rick Duckett. I’m glad they came to their senses.”