Monson calling it quits at Minnesota

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported Thursday that Monson has already told his coaching staff that he is calling it quits. The paper also said that assistant coach Jim Molinari will take over on an interim basis.

Monson was in his eighth season with the Golden Gophers, who are off to a 2-5 start and dropped a 90-68 home decision to Clemson on Wednesday as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

The Gophers have a record of 118-106 under Monson, who took over the program in July 1999 after Clem Haskins was bought out of his contract following reports of academic fraud.

NCAA sanctions limited Monson’s early recruiting, but Minnesota still earned five postseason bids during the coach’s tenure, including one NCAA Tournament appearance.

Monson’s 2004-05 squad was 21-11 and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The team dipped to 16-15 last season and lost in the second round of the NIT.

Before taking the Minnesota job, Monson helped build Gonzaga into a national power. He was an assistant coach at the West Coast Conference school from 1988 until taking over the top job in 1997.

In two years at Gonzaga’s helm, the Bulldogs were 52-17 and nearly made the Final Four of the 1999 NCAA Tournament, losing to eventual national champion Connecticut in a regional final.

Molinari has been an assistant at Minnesota since 2004 and has previously been a head coach at Northern Illinois from 1989-91 and Bradley from 1991-2002. In 13 years as a collegiate head coach, Molinari owns a record of 218-167.