Luqman Jaaber, whose contract will expire on March 30, will not be retained, Virginia Union announced Tuesday, ending his tenure as the men’s head basketball coach after three seasons.
Jaaber finished with a career record of 31-49.
“We’re not going to renew because we’re going in a different direction,” athletics director Joe Taylor said. “We have a very rich tradition here at Virginia Union and the expectations are very high and we don’t see any reason why we should have any less expectations.”
Virginia Union is coming off a 6-20 season, its fewest wins since the 1935-36 season, when that team finished with five. The 20 losses set the program record.
The Panthers ended this season losing their final six games, including an 89-85 overtime loss to Johnson C. Smith in the first round of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament.
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Jaaber coached back-to-back losing seasons. His team went 10-15 in 2012-13, with his most successful season coming in his inaugural year as head coach in 2011-12 when VUU finished one game above .500 at 15-14.
“Just grateful for the opportunity,” Jaaber said of the school’s decision. “It’s the nature of the business.”
Jaaber served as an assistant for Virginia Union for two seasons. He was the captain of the Panthers’ 2005 national championship team and finished his career as a player as the program leader in steals (274) and finished with 1,112 points.
