VCU news

By Pamela DiSalvo Lepley

RICHMOND, Va. (April 11, 2006) – Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball head coach Jeff Capel announced today that he is leaving VCU to become the head coach at the University of Oklahoma.

“While we are, of course, very disappointed that Coach Capel is leaving VCU, we also are proud of what he has accomplished here at VCU, and that he will be the head coach of a Top-25 team,” said VCU President Eugene P. Trani.

VCU will move quickly to name a new men’s basketball head coach, university officials said.

“We know this is a coveted job and we feel confident that we will bring in a quality coach to continue to build on the program’s excellence,” said Richard L. Sander, VCU Athletic Director.

“We are both sad and happy with Jeff’s announcement that he is going to Oklahoma. He did a great job here, and we know he will do a great job there,” Sander said.

In his four years as head coach at VCU, Capel, 31, guided the Rams to a 79-41 overall record, a Colonial Athletic Association title and two postseason appearances. 

Capel became the youngest head coach in Division I men’s basketball at age 27 after he was promoted from assistant in 2002. During his five-years here, VCU recorded the most wins and highest winning percentage of any Division I program in Virginia.

Prior to joining the VCU staff, Capel spent one year as an assistant at Old Dominion during the 2000-2001 season. After graduating from Duke in 1997, he played professional basketball for three years.