Loyola Marymount men’s soccer coach Paul Krumpe appears to
have interest in the vacant UCLA coaching job, a spokesman for the
school confirmed Monday.
Krumpe, who spent three seasons as a Bruin assistant coach from
1996-1998, had not been contacted by anyone within the UCLA
Athletics Department as of Monday evening.
“He has no interest in the job until they contact
him,” the spokesman said.
The UCLA job officially opened up Friday when Tom Fitzgerald
announced that he was leaving the school to take over the program
at the University of Tampa, where he coached from 1987-1995.
Fitzgerald, who received a three-year guaranteed contract from
UCLA this past year, took the Tampa job at the expense of one of
his former players, Adrian Bush. He had actually called the school
to recommend Bush for the job early last week when Tampa Athletic
Director Larry Marfise threw him a curveball.
“They wanted someone with more experience (than
Bush),” Fitzgerald said. “The conversation turned to,
“˜we want someone just like you.'”
Fitzgerald informed UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero and
Associate Athletic Director Betsy Stephenson that talks were
growing serious on Wednesday. By Thursday night, he had accepted
the job.
In his two years at UCLA, Fitzgerald led the Bruins to an NCAA
Championship in 2002 and a berth in the quarterfinals this season.
He leaves a program shaken by the announcement of his departure,
but in good shape in terms of returning talent.
Fitzgerald has publicly supported assistant coach Jorge Salcedo
as a candidate for the job, but said that the third-year coach has
not been contacted yet. He added that he hoped to have some
influence in the hiring of the new coach, but that he has no idea
who the candidates will be.
“All I can do is pass on what I think would be a good
decision,” Fitzgerald said.
Someone who will not be a part of the coaching search is L.A.
Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid, who told the Los Angeles Times Monday
that he’s not interested in the job. Stephenson returns to
Westwood this afternoon from a meeting of the NCAA Management
Council in Nashville, Tenn., and the coaching search is expected to
begin in earnest.
With reports from Elizabeth Newman, Bruin Sports
Reporter.