Penn sad to see famed coach go

From its basketball players to its top administrators, the Penn community is sorry to see Fran Dunphy leave campus after 17 successful years.

For Penn's players, Dunphy's decision to leave is a tough one; they will no longer play for the coach that recruited them.

"It's a little bit upsetting," reigning Ivy League Player of the Year Ibrahim Jaaber said. "At the same time, you can't fault him for leaving.

"He's a big-opportunity guy and this is a big opportunity for him."

Jaaber said he has been working with the team's other two rising seniors, Steve Danley and Mark Zoller, to keep players informed on what's going on.

Despite the fact that many saw the move coming, Zoller admitted he was taken by surprise.

"Obviously, it's pretty shocking," he said. "It's tough to really realize that this is actually happening. In the end, it's just a business."

Jaaber first spoke with Dunphy on Saturday about the possibility of a coaching change.

"We sat around, just talked man-to-man and about my future individually and his future," Jaaber said. "There was still not a decision at that point."

Dunphy told Jaaber of his final decision on Sunday night.

"I feel bad for the guys, but I think they understand it's a great opportunity for [Dunphy]," said soon-to-be Penn graduate Eric Osmundson, the only Quakers player to attend yesterday's press conference at Temple.

"No one in the Penn community wants this to happen," he added. "We wished he would have stayed, especially for Ibby, Mark and the seniors, but I'm very happy for him. It's a great opportunity for him, and I'm going to be cheering for him all the way -- except against Penn.

"You see all the past players here and past coaches and you see how much it really means to all of us. He's touched our lives not only on the basketball court but on a personal level."

Penn administrators are also sad to see Dunphy go.

"Fran's decision to leave Penn after 17 seasons as basketball coach is of course a disappointment to us," University President Amy Gutmann said. "He has led our student-athletes through amazing victories and given us all many magical moments to savor.

"We will certainly miss him both personally and professionally and wish him the best at Temple."

Athletic director Steve Bilsky echoed those sentiments.

"We appreciate all the great years and the hard work that Fran has put into the Penn program over the last 17 seasons," he said. "Fran will ultimately be measured by the success he had here, both on the court and in the way he touched the lives of so many people affiliated with the Penn basketball program and the University community.

"We are all the better for having had him in our program, and we wish him well as he takes this next step."

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