2008 Woodie Awards
Braun chosen as new men's basketball coach
Casey Michel
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: News
Braun said coaching has become more than just creating plays and teaching fundamentals over his career.
"To me, coaching is making a difference in the lives of others, and I want our players to be successful in everything they do," Braun said. "I met with the team [on Monday,] and I communicated to them that a learning curve is not a straight line, and it never has been. Every success involves adversity and challenges."
The search process employed by Del Conte utilized both the Parker Executive Search firm and former players, including Bobby Tudor (Hanszen '82) and Ricky Pierce (Will Rice '83), and began immediately after Willis' departure. But according to Tudor, once Braun's name surfaced as a potential candidate, his credentials sealed their choice.
"If you had told us at the beginning of the process that we could have a coach that has gone to the Sweet 16 twice with two different teams [and] who understands having an athletic program that is consistent with the academic mission of the university and believes in [it], would we take him," Tudor said. "We would have said, 'Absolutely - we'll take him.'"
Braun immediately interviewed, and once the position was offered, said he made the decision quickly.
"I'm not a guy that takes a long time to make a lot of decisions," he said. "I think being indecisive is not a great quality. [But] when Rice University and Del Conte called, to me, that was a perfect fit. I've got a lot of passion, I've got a lot of energy in coaching, and to do that at Rice, it's huge. Rice represents everything I believe a university should have."
Obstacles that faced Wilson in his final season will, if construction goes according to plan, vanish by the time Braun's first season commences. The renovations to Autry Court, which have been ongoing all year and forced the 2007-'08 basketball team to play all of their "home" games on the road, are set to be completed this fall. And while injuries sidelined four of the team's five opening day starters for nearly the entire campaign, none of the injuries should carry over into the upcoming season.
"To me, coaching is making a difference in the lives of others, and I want our players to be successful in everything they do," Braun said. "I met with the team [on Monday,] and I communicated to them that a learning curve is not a straight line, and it never has been. Every success involves adversity and challenges."
The search process employed by Del Conte utilized both the Parker Executive Search firm and former players, including Bobby Tudor (Hanszen '82) and Ricky Pierce (Will Rice '83), and began immediately after Willis' departure. But according to Tudor, once Braun's name surfaced as a potential candidate, his credentials sealed their choice.
"If you had told us at the beginning of the process that we could have a coach that has gone to the Sweet 16 twice with two different teams [and] who understands having an athletic program that is consistent with the academic mission of the university and believes in [it], would we take him," Tudor said. "We would have said, 'Absolutely - we'll take him.'"
Braun immediately interviewed, and once the position was offered, said he made the decision quickly.
"I'm not a guy that takes a long time to make a lot of decisions," he said. "I think being indecisive is not a great quality. [But] when Rice University and Del Conte called, to me, that was a perfect fit. I've got a lot of passion, I've got a lot of energy in coaching, and to do that at Rice, it's huge. Rice represents everything I believe a university should have."
Obstacles that faced Wilson in his final season will, if construction goes according to plan, vanish by the time Braun's first season commences. The renovations to Autry Court, which have been ongoing all year and forced the 2007-'08 basketball team to play all of their "home" games on the road, are set to be completed this fall. And while injuries sidelined four of the team's five opening day starters for nearly the entire campaign, none of the injuries should carry over into the upcoming season.
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