IWC men's basketball coach Alan Magnani dismissed (UPDATED)

Iowa Wesleyan College Men?s Basketball Head Coach Alan Magnani was dismissed Wednesday morning after he refused to submit a written statement to Jay Simmons, college president, confirming that, as a coach, he supported the IWC Board of Trustees? decision to make a move from the NAIA to the NCAA Division 3.

On Oct. 14, the IWC Board of Trustees voted to apply for membership in the NCAA. A statement released by the college cited scholarship equity and the opportunity to be more competitive as chief reasons for the switch.

?The athletic department was asked to support that (decision),? said Athletic Director Mike Hampton. ?All the coaches chose to support it except one.?

That coach was Alan Magnani, who had started his 16th season as head coach of the IWC men's basketball team.

Magnani was the winningest coach in IWC men?s basketball history, with a career record of 244-220 at the college. He joined the Tigers in 1995 as an assistant coach under Dave Tremmel and took over head coaching duties in 1996. Under Magnani, the Tigers were Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament champions in 2004, 2006 and 2009. They qualified for the NAIA Division 2 National Tournament in those three seasons and again last year, where they advanced as far as the Sweet 16. Last season, the team also won the regular season MCC title.

When Magnani refused to submit the supportive statement by the deadline, he was dismissed by Simmons.

?The president made the decision,? said Martha Potts-Bell, IWC director of marketing and communication. ?He is charged with carrying out the directions of the Board. All the coaches were made aware that they had a choice. I believe that it was articulated what the consequences (of that choice) would be. We are very pleased that the other coaches did support (the move), and greatly disappointed that Alan Magnani did not.?

The reason for Magnani?s resulting dismissal lies in the college?s demonstration of commitment to the NCAA move: ?The transition period ? is already underway,? Potts-Bell said. ?The organizations (involved) need to understand our commitment. Everyone has to be on board.?

When contacted by the News, Magnani said that he has been advised not to comment on the situation.

A new coach for the basketball team, who is to be chosen by a group of administrators including Simmons and Hampton, has not yet been named.

?We?re working on it,? Hampton said.

The team was ranked 15th in the NAIA this season and picked by conference coaches to finish second in the MCC. They have a 4-2 record so far this season, and are scheduled to host Hannibal-LaGrange on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m.