When Pat Kennedy took over as Towson University men?s basketball coach, he pledged a return to recruiting local players much like the Tigers did when they advanced to the NCAA tournament in 1990 and ?91.
Jim Meil received much of the credit for attracting Baltimore products such as Kurk Lee and Devin Boyd to Towson while working as an assistant under then-coach Terry Truax. Kennedy is banking that Meil can bring that magic back to Towson as he recently hired the Baltimore native to fill out his coaching staff.
Meil originally coached at Towson from 1982-97. He replaces Rob Norris, who recently accepted an appointment as the top assistant at Canisius. Meil returns to Towson after stints at University of Miami (1997-99) and Wagner, where he served for seven years, including the last four as associate head coach.
“To get Jim to leave Wagner is a great catch for Towson,” Tigers coach Pat Kennedy said. “He knows the school and the area high school and AAU coaches. Also, his ability to develop athletes is tremendous.”
Getting the chance to work with Kennedy, seeing the growth at Towson University and being affiliated with the Colonial Athletic Association – home to Final Four team George Mason – are all reasons Meil listed for returning to Towson.
“I?ve known the coaches in this area for a long time and they have always been open toward Towson recruiting their kids,” Meil said. “There are a lot of great selling points at Towson and to see the progress that?s been made here by Pat shows me we can get back to the success we?ve had in the past.”
Meil added that part of helping Towson build toward the future is involving former Tiger greats like Lee, Boyd and Chuck Lightning with the program. That, along with reminding the team that George Mason made its tourney run with five Maryland-born starters, is proof Towson can be a winner.
“We?ve said from Day 1 that we will build this program with Baltimore and Maryland youngsters,” Kennedy said. “Jim has a tremendous resume in that regard.”
MEIL NOTES
» Meil began his Towson coaching career under Vince Angotti and remained with the program after Truax took over.
» Meil expressed interest in Towson?s head coaching position on all three occasions the job became open since Truax?s firing.
» Towson?s best run during Meil?s first tenure came from 1988-94 as they posted a 112-65 record, three straight East Coast Conference titles and the school?s only two NCAA tournament appearances.
» Meil graduated high school from McDonogh in 1978 and from college at Lehigh in 1982.
