Ball State University expects Lehigh University's assistant basketball coach Bob Simmons to join Billy Taylor's coaching staff, a source within the athletic department said.
Simmons started coaching at Lehigh University in 2003, after serving two years as the head coach of Delaware Valley College, a Division III program.
Former men's basketball coach Ronny Thompson's three assistant coaches, Troy Collier, Steve Flint and Bill Howze, are no longer with the program.
The one holdover from Thompson's staff will be Jay Newberry, the director of basketball operations. Newberry was at both the press conference and the meet and greet where Taylor was introduced.
With Simmons following Taylor to Ball State, two spots remain in Taylor's coaching staff.
"I've got some pretty specific ideas for what I am looking for," Taylor said. "It's a little different for me, having head coaching experience. I have a pretty good idea of the qualities and characteristics that would be a good fit and best help our student athletes."
Taylor's associate head coach at Lehigh University, Brett Reed, was named as Taylor's replacement.
C.J. Clark from Panola Junior College in Texas and Robert Martina from Deerfield Beach High School in Florida are no longer members of the men's basketball team and were released from their letters of intent to Ball State.
"We're still working with some of the kids, we're still talking," Taylor said. "The guys have been great. They've been really positive and upbeat."
Taylor also inherits the 2007-08 schedule from Thompson. The schedule was "pretty much set" for the next year, Taylor said.
Known out of conference opponents include University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Butler University, Georgetown University and Illinois State University.
Georgetown still intends to come to Muncie to face the Cardinals this season, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Collins said.
Thompson's brother John Thompson III is the coach of Georgetown and Thompson's father John Thompson is the former coach of Georgetown.
Collins said he does not anticipate any hostility to John Thompson III when Ball State hosts Georgetown.
"I assume our crowd is going to be a good crowd just like they always are," Collins said.
The contract between Ball State and Georgetown stipulates that any party breaking the contract will pay a sum of $100,000. It does not, however, rule out that Ball State and Georgetown could work out a deal so Georgetown would not have to play the game.
There is no provision in the contract that provides a deadline for a team to pull out, but Collins said that, while the provision doesn't exist, schools will give programs time to find a replacement for the game.
The game with Georgetown is tentatively scheduled for November 21 at 7 p.m.
"I have no idea," Bill Shapland, the Director of Sports Information at Georgetown, said regarding the game. "Until we have the schedule we don't release anything."
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