NEW YORK -- Dereck Whittenburg's Wagner College teams improved their record every season in his four years there. That should be easy to do in his new job at Fordham University.

		Fordham made a solid choice in hiring Dereck Whittenburg as its new head coach. Let's give a salute to athletic director Frank McLaughlin. There is no doubt that I was pushing and pleading for Villanova assistant Fred Hill Jr., but McLaughlin hired a good person in Whittenburg. I didn't think Fordham had a shot at Whittenburg, who did a phenomenal job leading Wagner to the NCAA Tournament this year. Who could ever forget Whittenburg in 1983 with N.C. State? Remember when he played against Houston in the '83 NCAA championship game? He made one of the greatest passes ever -- well, actually it was an air ball, right into the hands of teammate Lorenzo Charles for the game-winning slam. Now the question is, can McLaughlin keep Whittenburg for years to come? Something tells me the new coach can make some magic and attract attention from some bigger schools. More...

The Rams hired Whittenburg on Thursday to replace coach Bob Hill after a 2-26 season, the worst record in school history.

Whittenburg -- a player on North Carolina State's 1983 national championship team -- is enthusiastic about the reconstruction task.

"All my assistant jobs were in rebuilding situations," Whittenburg said. "I love rebuilding situations."

Whittenburg, 42, worked as an assistant at George Mason, Long Beach State, North Carolina State, Colorado, West Virginia and Georgia Tech before getting his first head coaching job at Wagner. He took the team from 11-16 in his first year to 21-11 and its first NCAA Tournament berth last season.

That made him a candidate for a higher-profile job, and he was the unanimous choice of Fordham's search committee.

"Dereck Whittenburg's record, first as an assistant coach and more recently as head coach at Wagner College, demonstrates that he is the kind of coach who can achieve athletic success on the hardwood while maintaining academic integrity," Fordham president Rev. Joseph O'Hare said.

When he was hired, Whittenburg jumped right into the job, calling returning players and potential recruits Wednesday night, 18 hours before the official announcement.

"I am so excited and impressed by the tradition and character of Fordham," Whittenburg said. "We want to build the program with the same character the alumni and administration have.

"I am very passionate about Fordham basketball. I know it will be a hard task. I welcome the challenge. I embrace the kids in the program."

Whittenburg was not concerned with getting a late start in recruiting. "We will find some quality kids to add to the kids we have," he said. "I concern myself with the character of the program and the kids. Start with that and the winning will come."

Hill resigned April 30 with six years left on a 10-year contract. Fordham went 36-78 in his four years.

The Rams have not had a winning season since 1991-92.

Whittenburg went 67-50 at Wagner. The Seahawks won the Northeast Conference tournament championship in March to reach the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to Pittsburgh in the opening round.

Twenty years ago, Whittenburg launched an air ball that became the winning basket for North Carolina State in the 1983 title game. Lorenzo Charles grabbed the ball out of the air and dunked it just before the buzzer to give the Wolfpack a 54-52 victory over Houston.

Whittenburg is asked often about the play.

"It's still a pass," he said, "20 years later."

Wagner athletic director Walt Hameline said a search for a new coach would start immediately.

"We're going to open up a national search for a new head coach and we're going to take our time," he said. "There is no rush."