Molinari joining Cornhuskers' staff after six seasons in Macomb

The coach who turned the Western Illinois men's basketball program from shambles to respectability is leaving Macomb.

The university announced Thursday night that Jim Molinari resigned as its head men's basketball coach on Thursday night.

The move is not unexpected as reports surfaced last weekend that Molinari would be joining Nebraska coach Tim Miles' staff as an assistant.

'I think that I wasn't looking for an opportunity, but I really think the Lord opened this door,' Molinari said by phone. 'I know Tim Miles and I don't pick places, I pick people. I'm buying into him and his vision and trying to continue what they've done there.

'With that said, this is the most difficult basketball decision I've ever made.'

Molinari went 79-104 in six seasons at Western with Summit League regular-season championship in 2013.

He led the Leathernecks to their first Division I postseason appearances by playing in the College Basketball Invitational in 2012 and 2013.

'When I came in I said ‘We're going to build a program.' And we have a program now,' Molinari said. 'Western is a special place — a unique, special place — and I have tremendous trust in the leadership of (WIU president Jack Thomas and athletics director Tommy Bell). Those things made this a tough decision.'

Molinari has a career record of 302-290 in 20 years overall with head coaching stops at Northern Illinois, Bradley and Minnesota.

'Having known Coach Molinari for more than 20 years and watched his incredible basketball career and accomplishments he had at Western Illinois University,' Bell said in a statement. 'We wish him continued success and the best of luck. We thank him for his service to our institution. He will be missed.'

It is unknown if there was a buyout involved for the final two seasons left on Molinari's contract with WIU. A provision in the deal — signed in 2008 — provided that the university would be owed a year's salary if the coach left in the first four seasons of the eight-year pact.

Bell said that associate head coach Wade Hokenson will serve as acting head coach.

Molinari's replacement will be Bell's first coaching hire since becoming Western's AD in July 2013. He previously served in the same capacity at Fort Wayne.

Given the state of the program compared to where it was when Molinari took over in 2008, there should be no shortage of potential candidates, both internally and externally.

Hokenson has been on Molinari's staff for six years and was elevated to associate head coach prior to this season after Billy Wright went to Ball State to become an assistant coach. Before coming to Western, Hokenson was an assistant at Bellevue, an NAIA Division II program.

Wright served as an assistant coach to Molinari for five years at Western after playing for him at Bradley. He was head coach at Indianapolis Pike High School before coaching at Western.

Former Western player Matt Margenthaler is one possible candidate without ties to the Molinari-era, but links to the school. Margenthaler completed his 13th season as head coach at NCAA Division II Minnesota State where he has a career record of 284-115. The Mavericks went 30-5 this past season but lost in the second round of the D-II tournament.

'I feel really good about where the program is at,' Molinari said. 'When you're in the Summit League, and league's like this, you're always going to be on cycles. We went on one cycle. Then this year we are on the upswing for another good cycle. I think Western is in good shape.'

Kevin Capie can be reached at 686-3214 or kcapie@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @KevinCapie.