Stan Heath
Encyclopedia
Stanley Heath, III is the head men's basketball coach at the University of South Florida Bulls
(located in Tampa, Florida
). Heath is the former head basketball
coach
of the University of Arkansas
(also known as the Arkansas Razorbacks
) in Fayetteville, Arkansas
and Kent State University
, whom he led to the Elite Eight
of the NCAA Basketball Tournament
in 2002.
in 1983. He was an all-state guard during his time there. He went on to earn his bachelor's in social science from Eastern Michigan University
in 1988 and his master’s in sports administration from Wayne State University
in 1993. Heath redshirted during his first year at Eastern Michigan before lettering his final three years (1985–1987].
Heath is married to the former Ramona Webb (whom he met during his junior year at Eastern Michigan) and they have two sons, Jordan and Joshua (Josh was born December 28, 1994). Both are attending Tampa Preparatory School and are part of the varsity basketball team, coached by Joe Fenlon.
in 1989 as an assistant. After one season, he moved to Albion College
where he was an assistant and the junior varsity head coach for two years. He worked at Wayne State University
in Detroit the following three years, including serving as associate head coach in 1994 when WSU set a school record for victories (25–5), helping the Tartars win two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
titles with a trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1993.
After two seasons as an assistant at Bowling Green State University
, he joined Tom Izzo
at Michigan State where he was an assistant for five years. He helped the Spartans advance to the Final Four three straight years (1999, 2000, 2001), win the 2000 national title, make another appearance in the Sweet 16 and go a combined 132–37. The Spartans posted records of 17–12 in 1997, 22–8 in 1998, 33–5 in 1999, 32–7 in 2000 and 28–5 in 2001. In addition to the three trips to the Final Four, MSU also reached the Sweet 16 in 1998 and the second round of the NIT in 1997.
On March 19, 2001, Sports Illustrated
featured “five college coaches waiting in the wings.” Heath was on that list, along with assistant Leonard Perry of Iowa State
, Florida
assistant John Pelphrey
, head coach Jeff Ruland
of Iona
and Hofstra
head coach Jay Wright
. A month after that, he was named the head coach at Kent State.
in 2002. Under his guidance, the Golden Flashes finished with a 30–6 record that year and won the Mid-American Conference
regular-season and tournament titles. They then came within a victory of reaching the Final Four before falling to Indiana at the South Regional finals of the NCAA Tournament
.
Along the way, Kent set school and MAC records for wins (30), breaking the record of 29 set by Ball State
in 1989; became the first MAC team to reach the Elite Eight since Ohio University
in 1964; recorded a league-record 21-game winning streak, including a 17–1 mark in conference play; beat three ranked teams in the NCAA Tournament, including No. 20 Oklahoma State
, 69–61, No. 8 University of Alabama
, 71–58, and No. 9 University of Pittsburgh
, 78–73 in overtime; went 12–0 at home with an average attendance of 4,928, Kent’s best since 1970; led the MAC in scoring defense (64.0 ppg), scoring margin (+11.9 ppg), field goal percentage defense (.418), rebounding margin (+5.0 rpg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.24) while also ranking second in three-point field goal percentage defense (.326) and turnover margin (+2.78); and suffered its five regular season losses by a total of 15 points.
Individually, Heath’s 30 wins ties for the third-most by a first-year head coach in NCAA Division I history with John Warren of Oregon
(1945). Only Bill Guthridge
of North Carolina
(34 in 1998) and Bill Hodges
of Indiana State
(33 in 1979) won more. The Detroit native was also voted the MAC Coach of the Year and named the national Rookie Coach of the Year by both CBSSportsline.com and CollegeInsider.com.
who had been fired that year after claiming he was being mistreated because he was African American and challenging athletic director Frank Broyles
to buy out his contract.
The 2003 season (2002–2003), Heath's first as Razorback head coach, was a difficult one. With key players having left the team, as well as the normal adjustments to a new system, the team struggled to a 9–19 record.
The 2004 season (2003–2004) saw some improvement to key areas, as well as the addition of key freshmen Parade All-American Ronnie Brewer
and McDonald's All-American Olu Famutimi
, who contributed to a 12–16 record. The team was the 8th youngest in the NCAA.
The 2005 season (2004–2005) showed marked improvement in almost every area, most notably in the front court, with the addition of Steven Hill, Darian Townes, and Charles Thomas. The jewel of the recruiting class, Al Jefferson
, never made it to Arkansas as he was selected in the NBA Draft
by the Boston Celtics
. At the conclusion of the 2005 season, Heath spoke for the team in announcing they would not accept an invitation to the NIT
end of year basketball tournament
. This followed an end of year slide which resulted in the loss of 5 of the last 6 games. The team finished with an 18–12 overall record.
The 2006 season (2005–2006) began with a key win over University of Kansas, and respectable losses to national powers Connecticut
and Maryland
. The end of conference play brought on wins over ranked opponents Florida
and Tennessee, five straight wins, and a winning regular season conference record for the first time for Heath at Arkansas. The Razorbacks received an NCAA tournament bid for the first time under Heath, but lost in the first round to Bucknell
. At the end of the 2005–2006 season as coach, Arkansas had improved (winning percentage, post season play, conference record) in each of the four full seasons he has coached.
The 2007 season (2006–2007) began by winning the Old Spice Classic inaugural tournament with wins over Southern Illinois
, Marist
, and West Virginia
. The team made it to the SEC Championship Game
with victories over South Carolina
, Mississippi State
, and Vanderbilt. The Razorbacks would lose to Florida in the championship game 77–56 but still received an at large bid to the 2007 NCAA Tournament
for the second year in a row. The Razorbacks received a 12th seed but lost in the first round against 5th seeded Southern California with the final score of 77–60. On March 26, 2007, Heath's coaching career at Arkansas ended; he believed that lackluster ticket sales played a role. It was reported that Heath would get a settlement of $900,000 dollars over the next three years after being fired. Heath had been earning $772,943 (including media contract, endorsements, etc.) plus an additional $71,000 tax deferred annuity and UA retirement account.
. The Bulls, coming off a 12–16 season the year before, lost their first 3 games of the season before rebounding with a win over in-state rival Florida State.
During the 2009-10 season, Heath led the Bulls to their first postseason tournament appearance since 2002. The team won 20 games (with a 9-9 Big East record) and earned a spot in the NIT but lost in the first round to North Carolina State.
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
(located in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
). Heath is the former head basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
of the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
(also known as the Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
) in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
and Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
, whom he led to the Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
of the NCAA Basketball Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in 2002.
Background
Stan Heath graduated from Detroit Catholic Central High SchoolDetroit Catholic Central High School
Detroit Catholic Central High School is a private, Catholic, all-male, college preparatory high school in Novi, Michigan. Founded in 1928 in Detroit, Michigan by the Archdiocese of Detroit, the school is operated by the Congregation of St. Basil...
in 1983. He was an all-state guard during his time there. He went on to earn his bachelor's in social science from Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
in 1988 and his master’s in sports administration from Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
in 1993. Heath redshirted during his first year at Eastern Michigan before lettering his final three years (1985–1987].
Heath is married to the former Ramona Webb (whom he met during his junior year at Eastern Michigan) and they have two sons, Jordan and Joshua (Josh was born December 28, 1994). Both are attending Tampa Preparatory School and are part of the varsity basketball team, coached by Joe Fenlon.
Assistant & Division II Coaching
Stan Heath began his collegiate career at Hillsdale CollegeHillsdale College
Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, United States, is a co-educational liberal arts college known for being the first American college to prohibit in its charter all discrimination based on race, religion, or sex; its refusal of government funding; and its monthly publication, Imprimis...
in 1989 as an assistant. After one season, he moved to Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
where he was an assistant and the junior varsity head coach for two years. He worked at Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
in Detroit the following three years, including serving as associate head coach in 1994 when WSU set a school record for victories (25–5), helping the Tartars win two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a competitive intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division II. The GLIAC was founded in June 1972. Member institutions are located in the midwestern United States in the States of Michigan and Ohio, with affiliate...
titles with a trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1993.
After two seasons as an assistant at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
, he joined Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo is an American college basketball coach. Since 1995, he has been the head coach for the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team, presiding over a prolonged period of success....
at Michigan State where he was an assistant for five years. He helped the Spartans advance to the Final Four three straight years (1999, 2000, 2001), win the 2000 national title, make another appearance in the Sweet 16 and go a combined 132–37. The Spartans posted records of 17–12 in 1997, 22–8 in 1998, 33–5 in 1999, 32–7 in 2000 and 28–5 in 2001. In addition to the three trips to the Final Four, MSU also reached the Sweet 16 in 1998 and the second round of the NIT in 1997.
On March 19, 2001, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
featured “five college coaches waiting in the wings.” Heath was on that list, along with assistant Leonard Perry of Iowa State
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
, Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
assistant John Pelphrey
John Pelphrey
John Leslie Pelphrey is an American college basketball coach and was the 14th head men's basketball coach at the University of Arkansas . After being named Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball" in 1987, he became a star college player at the University of Kentucky. Prior to coaching the Razorbacks, he...
, head coach Jeff Ruland
Jeff Ruland
Jeffrey Alan Ruland is a retired American basketball player and current coach. He is the former head coach of the Iona Gaels men's college basketball team and current head coach of the UDC Firebirds men's college basketball team.-Early life and collegiate career:A 6'11", 280 lb center, Ruland...
of Iona
Iona College (New York)
Iona College is located in New Rochelle, New York, 20 miles north of Manhattan in suburban Westchester County. The college occupies 35 acres on North Ave. The college also operates a Graduate Center in Pearl River, Rockland County, New York....
and Hofstra
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
head coach Jay Wright
Jay Wright (coach)
Jerold Taylor "Jay" Wright, Jr. is an American basketball coach. He is currently the men's coach at Villanova University. He was born in Churchville, Pennsylvania, U.S., and is married to a former Villanova cheerleader...
. A month after that, he was named the head coach at Kent State.
Kent State
Heath got his first collegiate head coach job at Kent StateKent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
in 2002. Under his guidance, the Golden Flashes finished with a 30–6 record that year and won the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
regular-season and tournament titles. They then came within a victory of reaching the Final Four before falling to Indiana at the South Regional finals of the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
.
Along the way, Kent set school and MAC records for wins (30), breaking the record of 29 set by Ball State
Ball State Cardinals men's basketball
The Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team is the basketball team that represent Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. The Cardinals first basketball season was 1920-1921. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's...
in 1989; became the first MAC team to reach the Elite Eight since Ohio University
Ohio Bobcats men's basketball
The Ohio Bobcats men’s basketball team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team represents the university as a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 level...
in 1964; recorded a league-record 21-game winning streak, including a 17–1 mark in conference play; beat three ranked teams in the NCAA Tournament, including No. 20 Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys men's basketball
The Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball team represents Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Cowboys currently compete in the Big 12 Conference.Since 1938, the team has played its home games in Gallagher-Iba Arena...
, 69–61, No. 8 University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, 71–58, and No. 9 University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
, 78–73 in overtime; went 12–0 at home with an average attendance of 4,928, Kent’s best since 1970; led the MAC in scoring defense (64.0 ppg), scoring margin (+11.9 ppg), field goal percentage defense (.418), rebounding margin (+5.0 rpg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.24) while also ranking second in three-point field goal percentage defense (.326) and turnover margin (+2.78); and suffered its five regular season losses by a total of 15 points.
Individually, Heath’s 30 wins ties for the third-most by a first-year head coach in NCAA Division I history with John Warren of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
(1945). Only Bill Guthridge
Bill Guthridge
Bill Guthridge is a retired American college basketball coach.Guthridge initially gained recognition after serving for 30 years as Dean Smith's assistant at the University of North Carolina. Following Dean Smith's retirement in 1997, Guthridge served as head coach of the Tar Heels for three seasons...
of North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
(34 in 1998) and Bill Hodges
Bill Hodges
-Notes:Hodges is a member of the Indiana State University Athletic Hall of Fame; the 1978-79 Men's Basketball Team were inducted in 1999. Hodges is a former golf coach, coaching the Armstrong Atlantic State University Pirates before moving to Indiana State. He is also a Vietnam-era veteran of the...
of Indiana State
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
(33 in 1979) won more. The Detroit native was also voted the MAC Coach of the Year and named the national Rookie Coach of the Year by both CBSSportsline.com and CollegeInsider.com.
Arkansas
After his successful first season at Kent State, Heath then moved on to the head coaching position at the University of Arkansas. He was hired on March 28, 2002 to replace Nolan RichardsonNolan Richardson
Nolan Richardson is an American basketball head coach, who was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He has coached teams to winning a NCAA Men's Division I Basketball National Championship, a NIT, and a Junior College National Championship, the only coach to do so. Most...
who had been fired that year after claiming he was being mistreated because he was African American and challenging athletic director Frank Broyles
Frank Broyles
John Franklin Broyles is a former American football player and coach, athletics administrator, and broadcaster. He served as the head football coach the University of Missouri in 1957 and at the University of Arkansas from 1958 to 1976...
to buy out his contract.
The 2003 season (2002–2003), Heath's first as Razorback head coach, was a difficult one. With key players having left the team, as well as the normal adjustments to a new system, the team struggled to a 9–19 record.
The 2004 season (2003–2004) saw some improvement to key areas, as well as the addition of key freshmen Parade All-American Ronnie Brewer
Ronnie Brewer
Ronnie Brewer is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for the Chicago Bulls. The Utah Jazz selected him with the 14th pick of the 2006 NBA Draft. Brewer played collegiately at the University of Arkansas, where his father Ron Brewer was a star in the late 1970s...
and McDonald's All-American Olu Famutimi
Olu Famutimi
Olumuyiwa Famutimi is a Canadian professional basketball player for Gloria Giants Düsseldorf in Germany....
, who contributed to a 12–16 record. The team was the 8th youngest in the NCAA.
The 2005 season (2004–2005) showed marked improvement in almost every area, most notably in the front court, with the addition of Steven Hill, Darian Townes, and Charles Thomas. The jewel of the recruiting class, Al Jefferson
Al Jefferson
Al Ricardo Jefferson is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the NBA.-Early life:...
, never made it to Arkansas as he was selected in the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. At the conclusion of the 2005 season, Heath spoke for the team in announcing they would not accept an invitation to the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
end of year basketball tournament
Basketball tournament
Basketball tournament is a series of contests involving a relatively large number of competitors. A number of basketball teams compete and the one that prevails through the final round or that finishes with the best record is declared the winner....
. This followed an end of year slide which resulted in the loss of 5 of the last 6 games. The team finished with an 18–12 overall record.
The 2006 season (2005–2006) began with a key win over University of Kansas, and respectable losses to national powers Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies men's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies is the name of the men's college basketball team representing the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
and Maryland
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
. The end of conference play brought on wins over ranked opponents Florida
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
and Tennessee, five straight wins, and a winning regular season conference record for the first time for Heath at Arkansas. The Razorbacks received an NCAA tournament bid for the first time under Heath, but lost in the first round to Bucknell
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
. At the end of the 2005–2006 season as coach, Arkansas had improved (winning percentage, post season play, conference record) in each of the four full seasons he has coached.
The 2007 season (2006–2007) began by winning the Old Spice Classic inaugural tournament with wins over Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
, Marist
Marist College
Marist College is a private liberal arts college on the east bank of the Hudson River near Poughkeepsie, New York. The site was established in 1905 by Marist Brothers, and the college was chartered in 1929...
, and West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball
The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, led by...
. The team made it to the SEC Championship Game
2007 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
-External links:*...
with victories over South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball
The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference. The program attained national prominence under hall of fame coach Frank McGuire, posting a 205-65 record and three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances from 1967-1976...
, Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball
The Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference and are currently coached by Rick Stansbury. As of the 2010 season the Bulldogs are 1272-1056...
, and Vanderbilt. The Razorbacks would lose to Florida in the championship game 77–56 but still received an at large bid to the 2007 NCAA Tournament
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
for the second year in a row. The Razorbacks received a 12th seed but lost in the first round against 5th seeded Southern California with the final score of 77–60. On March 26, 2007, Heath's coaching career at Arkansas ended; he believed that lackluster ticket sales played a role. It was reported that Heath would get a settlement of $900,000 dollars over the next three years after being fired. Heath had been earning $772,943 (including media contract, endorsements, etc.) plus an additional $71,000 tax deferred annuity and UA retirement account.
South Florida
Shortly after being fired from Arkansas, Heath agreed to a five year contract with the South Florida Bulls on April 2, 2007 replacing Robert McCullumRobert McCullum
Robert McCullum is a men's college basketball coach. He previously served as the head coach of the University of South Florida Bulls' men's basketball team....
. The Bulls, coming off a 12–16 season the year before, lost their first 3 games of the season before rebounding with a win over in-state rival Florida State.
During the 2009-10 season, Heath led the Bulls to their first postseason tournament appearance since 2002. The team won 20 games (with a 9-9 Big East record) and earned a spot in the NIT but lost in the first round to North Carolina State.