Glas accepts position as Concordia head men's basketball coach

MOORHEAD -- Two years in the background was enough for Bemidji native Rich Glas.

The University of North Dakota's career victories leader has been hired as Concordia's head men's basketball coach after he spent just two seasons as an assistant at Division I Northern Iowa.

"Fear the ear, right?" Glas said during a packed news conference Wednesday on the Concordia campus. "It's an honor to be here. It's an honor to be part of the Concordia College family. ... It seems like every place I end up going turns out to be the right place at the right time. Concordia, for me, is the right place at the right time for Rich Glas."

Glas, who turns 60 in April, said Wednesday that he thought his days as a head coach were finished when he accepted the job as director of basketball operations at Northern Iowa under former Sioux player and assistant coach Ben Jacobson.

However, Glas' competitive drive came creeping back during this year's Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

"I think most importantly, it's a great opportunity for (Glas) to do what he does best, and that's to be a head coach," Jacobson said. "... I think he really missed being a head coach."

Glas said he recently received a telephone call from a friend asking him to apply for the Concordia job. He was then contacted by Gustavus athletic director Al Molde about the position. Molde was the AD at Minnesota-Morris when Glas was the Cougars men's basketball coach.

Molde alerted Concordia athletic director Larry Papenfuss about Glas' interest in the position.

"It came together rather quickly," Papenfuss said. "I knew I couldn't make a judgment until I met with him. We had a sit down and all of my questions were answered."

Papenfuss said he met with Glas on campus on Sunday. Glass met with Concordia's dean and president on Monday.

Glas said he applied for the job on March 7. He will begin his job at Concordia on April 1.

"This is where my passion is," said Glas, who was 335-194 in 18 seasons at UND. "It's to be the leader of young men again, to be a head coach. ... I don't know if there was another place I would have gone to."

Glas had head coaching stints at Division III Morris and Willamette (Ore.). He was a volunteer assistant for Lute Olson at Arizona in 1984-85, and was an associate head coach at Hawaii from 1985-88.

Glas coached the Sioux to seven Division II national tournament appearances, including and a pair of trips to the Elite Eight, before resigning to join Jacobson at Northern Iowa after the 2005-06 season.

Glas inherits a team on the rise in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

The Cobbers finished 13-12 during the regular season, and advanced to the postseason for the first time since 2004-05. Concordia was 4-21 in 2006-07.

"There is kind of a wow-factor," junior guard Cody Dyshaw said. "It's really exciting, especially with what we did this year. I think he can build us into a MIAC championship team."

Glas replaces longtime Concordia coach Duane Siverson, who resigned after 17 seasons as the Cobbers men's coach and 31 years as a member of Concordia's athletic department staff.

Glas said he has not chosen his assistants. Glas and Papenfuss would not discuss Glas' salary.

Glas made about $75,000 a year at Northern Iowa.

"This is my last head coaching job," Glas said. "... It's good to be back - and we're home."

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