Donahue declines to interview for Boston U. job

Donahue declines to interview for Boston U. job

By Brian Delaney
The Ithaca Journal
April 2, 2009

ITHACA -- A second Ivy League men's basketball championship has Cornell's Steve Donahue in demand.

The nine-year coach confirmed Wednesday he declined to interview for Boston University's head coaching vacancy. Reports had Donahue as one of, if not the, top choice to replace Dennis Wolff, who was fired after 15 seasons on March 11.

"I was flattered, but I had no reason to pursue it at all in my mind," Donahue said Wednesday. "I haven't really though about any other situations. I'm just trying to do what I can do here to finish up recruiting and have a solid spring with our guys."

BU finished the year 17-13, including a 30-point loss to Cornell at Newman Arena in December.

Cornell won its second straight Ivy championship this season and finished 22-10 overall. Donahue is expected to return all five starters next season, and add two impact transfers in Max Groebe (UMass) and Mark Coury (Kentucky).

Cornell coaches can't comment on incoming recruits until their first-semester deposits are received by the University, but an assortment of public reports have confirmed five verbal commitments: Miles Asafo-Adjei, a 6-foot-1 point guard from The Ensworth School in Nashville, Tenn.; Eitan Chemerinski, a 6-9 forward from the Jewish Day School outside of Washington, D.C.; Josh Figini, a 6-8 forward from Chisago Lakes H.S. in Chisago, Minn.; Peter McMillan, a 6-7 forward from Northfield-Mount Herman School in Northfield, Mass.; and Errick Peck, a 6-6 power forward from Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, Ind.