Fran Dunphy, the winningest coach in Penn men's basketball history, will be introduced today as the new head coach at Temple at a press conference scheduled for 3 p.m.
After 17 years in charge of the Quakers, Dunphy accepted the job on North Broad Street this weekend. The decision brings to an end weeks of speculation as to whether he would finally leave Penn after being tempted many times by other schools, including Penn State, Georgetown, Ohio State, and his alma mater La Salle twice.
Dunphy will succeed legendary Owls coach John Chaney, who retired at the end of this past season after 24 years in charge. Dunphy now becomes the first person to ever coach two Big 5 programs.
At the Penn team's annual banquet on Sunday afternoon, Dunphy did not directly say he was leaving, but his remarks implied that he was likely to depart.
The program "was very successful before we got here and it will be very successful when we're gone," he said. He also talked about how the leadership of the rising senior class will take on a "whole new realm of importance" next season.
Several sources close to the Penn team have said that Dunphy attempted to call a meeting on Friday to speak with his players, but due to Spring Fling, that meeting never occurred.
These sources said that Dunphy met with a small group of players last night to talk about the future of the program. Though it is unclear as to whether that meeting actually took place, the players were all informed of Dunphy's decision at various times on Sunday.
Dunphy had been rumored as the leading candidate for the Temple job since Chaney, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame retired three weeks ago. Sources confirmed written reports that say that Dunphy was offered the job late last week. According to reports, the process of officially making that offer was complicated by Temple president David Adamamy being out of the country in the middle of the search process.
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