The UALR women's basketball team's latest run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament has garnered Coach Joe Foley some interest from a school in a major conference.
At the very least, Foley is likely headed for a raise.
Foley year-by-year
YEAR;ALL;CONF.;POSTSEASON
2015;29-5;18-2;NCAA second round
2014;18-12;12-6;None
2013;24-9;14-6;WNIT first round
2012;20-13;12-4;NCAA first round
2011;23-8;14-2;NCAA first round
2010;27-7;17-1;NCAA second round
2009;26-7;16-2;WNIT first round
2008;23-9;14-4;WNIT first round
2007;21-10;12-6;None
2006;13-15;5-9;None
2005;10-19;3-11;None
2004;10-17;3-11
Foley, 59, interviewed Wednesday for the women's basketball opening at the University of Kansas. Foley called the trip to Lawrence, Kan., a "fact-finding" endeavor, although he still considers himself a candidate for the position that opened when Kansas fired Bonnie Henrickson last month.
"They invited me up and I went there just to see," said Foley, who was at the Jack Stephens Center on Thursday. "Other than that, I'm here. It's something that you can't just turn down and not go look at. That's where it is."
UALR Athletic Director Chasse Conque said Thursday that Foley informed him beforehand that he was interviewing at Kansas and that the two will meet sometime this weekend to discuss reworking a 10-year contract Foley signed in 2011.
Although Conque declined to reveal the salary ceiling UALR is willing to consider, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Democrat-Gazette that it could be as high as $250,000 per year. Foley's base salary for his current contract is $161,241.
"With the success that our women's basketball team has had on the national level, we understand that schools take notice," Conque said Thursday. "What Joe has done for our university and our city, it's remarkable. Obviously when somebody like Kansas comes calling, you have to listen.
"But let me be clear: We're committed to Joe Foley and his staff and the future of Trojan basketball here in Little Rock."
Foley is four weeks removed from what could be considered the best of his 12 seasons at UALR. The Trojans set a program record for overall victories (29), Sun Belt Conference victories (18) and beat Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. UALR, a No. 11 seed, also led No. 3 seed Arizona State for the majority of a 57-54 loss in the second round in Tempe, Ariz.
It was UALR's fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in six seasons, and the second time one of Foley's UALR team had reached the second round.
Foley just completed the second season in a 10-year contract extension signed in 2013. His deal, originally signed in 2011, expires in 2023.
Kansas fired Henrickson on March 9 after she compiled a 186-171 record in 11 seasons, including a 15-17 mark this past season. Henrickson's greatest achievement with the Jayhawks came on Foley's home floor in 2012, when she led them to a 70-64 upset of No. 3-seed Delaware in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Jack Stephens Center.
The Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World reported Thursday that Foley, Stephen F. Austin Coach Brandon Schneider and Wichita State Coach Jody Adams are the finalists for the job. Schneider interviewed Tuesday, and Adams interviewed Thursday.
Foley said he wasn't told when Kansas would make a decision.
"There's still communication. I don't know how long that will last," Foley said. "They gave me the opportunity to come see it and wanted me to come up, and that's what I did. Other than that, we haven't gotten any farther than that."
Foley's contract does not include a buyout if he were to leave before it us up, but it includes a clause that would require the school he leaves for to play a four-year home-and-home series with UALR. Conque couldn't say if Kansas is the only school making overtures toward Foley.
"Any time you play at a national level and get the attention we have, there are going to be a lot of folks that are interested," Conque said. "But, as far as this week goes, this is the one that he's visited with in the last few days."
Sports on 04/17/2015