Karl Smesko Staying At FGCU, Negotiating Contract

(Courtesy of Captive Photons)

Despite being contacted by Indiana for their head coaching position, Florida Gulf Coast women's basketball coach Karl Smesko is committed to his future with FGCU, per a school release.

As the FGCU Eagles Nest first reported, Smesko and the Hoosiers talked following the resignation of IU head coach Curt Miller. After hearing he was no longer a candidate a few days later, Smesko was reportedly back in the mix early this week. Finally, he put this subject to rest on Tuesday by pulling his name out of consideration for the job.

“I am happy to be at FGCU,” Smesko said in the release. “Ken [Kavanagh, Director of Athletics] and President Bradshaw were great during this process. I really like and respect everyone I have met at Indiana University; however, the timing just wasn’t right to make this move.”

This isn't the first time Smesko was considered for a high-major position. The program's founding coach was reportedly a finalist for head coaching positions at Oregon State, Illinois, and Indiana over the past five years.

“We are extremely pleased that Karl has decided to remain an Eagle and will continue to serve as such a tremendous teacher and ambassador for FGCU,” Kavanagh said int the release. “He has established a program from scratch that has rightly earned its place amongst the finest in the nation based on our ladies’ collective accomplishments on and off the floor. In turn, we look forward to many more celebratory occasions well into the future under Coach Smesko and his outstanding staff.”

Florida Gulf Coast and Coach Smesko are currently "working on renogiating his contract", a school spokesperson informed the Eagles Nest. There are no finalized details yet. According to the News-Press, he is currently in the fifth year of a seven year contract that pays him around $200,000 this season.

Smesko has racked up over 300 wins and five Atlantic Sun regular season championships. After a heart breaking overtime loss to Oklahoma State in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, the Eagles only suffer the departure of senior Sarah Hansen. Whitney Knight leads a plethora of returning players that should be contending for another NCAA berth.