Post-Tierney Syndrome: Will Princeton Tab Metzbower?
Coverage: Bill Tierney to Denver
* Bill
Tierney Leaves Princeton for Denver
* Tanton:
Tierney Changes Stripes, the Game
* Wiedmaier Wants
Metzbower
* Metzbower Turns
Down Princeton Job
* Man of
the Hour: In Depth with Bill Tierney
* Trevor Tierney
Confident in Dad, Denver
* DU's
Brown: 'I Can't Wait Until September'
by Justin Feil | Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
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Princeton All-American Chad Wiedmaier joined his former coach in endorsing longtime assistant Dave Metzbower for the vacancy left by men's lacrosse legend Bill Tierney, who stunned the lacrosse world Monday by accepting the head job at Denver. © Lee Weissman |
PRINCETON, N.J. -- The shock of Bill Tierney's departure is wearing off slowly, and Princeton University could go a long way toward lessening the effects of the Hall of Fame coach's decision with a decision of their own.
Princeton could promote associate head coach David Metzbower and give the 20-year Tigers top assistant the reins to a team that went 13-3 and beat national champion Syracuse in the regular season.
"It should be Coach Metzbower," said Princeton defenseman Chad Wiedmaier. "But it's definitely a new era of Princeton lacrosse."
Wiedmaier has played just one year for the Tigers, a year in which he was named second-team All-America and became just the third Princeton freshman to garner first-team All-Ivy League honors, but he is hoping the Tigers can maintain some continuity from Tierney's tenure that ended Monday when he announced that he had resigned to take the head coaching job at the University of Denver.
"I've been offered other jobs before," Tierney said. "This one feels right. I think it's going to be a good place for us."
Tierney has indicated that he would like Metzbower to succeed him, one reason he fought seven years ago to give Metzbower the associate head coach title. If Metzbower is the selection, Tierney already has one agreement in hand: "We've clearly decided there will never be a regular season game between Princeton and Denver."
The university's statement regarding its next coach has become standard after such personnel transactions.
"Princeton remains committed to the high quality of its men's lacrosse program," said Director of Athletics Gary Walters, "and as such we will now conduct a national search in as timely a manner as possible."
Following Tierney will be difficult regardless of who is named. It didn't take long for Tierney to establish a new standard for the Tigers. Three years after his arrival in 1988, they made their first NCAA tournament.
"If you think about it, all the past 20-some years, all you heard about Princeton lacrosse is Coach Tierney," Wiedmaier said. "He's redefined the program to what it is. It's been amazing. It's been incredible."
In 22 seasons, Tierney went 238-86 at Princeton and won six national titles, the last in 2004. This year's quarterfinals appearance was the Tigers' 16th under Tierney, and though Princeton graduates nine seniors, the cupboard is far from bare for his successor. Wiedmaier, who spoke Tuesday to Tierney about his departure, is one of three All-Americans that could return for Princeton.
"As I told the kids, I'm going to be their greatest cheerleader next year," Tierney said. "Hopefully it's watching them in the final four. I know the administration will do a good job in picking the next job. I'll be rooting for Princeton all the way."
For the last 20 years and all six national titles, Metzbower has guided the goalies and offense for Tierney's teams.
"What a lot of people don't understand is Coach Tierney overshadowed Coach Metzbower," Wiedmaier said. "He's done so much for the team. I've only been there for one year, but he does so much behind the scenes. I know everyone on our team, with Coach Tierney gone, would want Metzbower. It would be a crime if he wasn't the next coach."
Metzbower has cultivated some great players at both ends of the field for the Orange and Black. Kevin Lowe '94, the program's all-time leading scorer who will be inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in November, and Jon Hess '98 were named most outstanding Division I attackmen, and Josh Sims '00 twice was named the top midfielder in Division I. Five times, he has tutored the top Division I goalie, and this year freshman Tyler Fiorito earned honorable mention All-American.
"It would be a big deal to me if Coach Metzbower wasn't the coach," Wiedmaier said. "He knows our team. He knows what Princeton is all about."
