Senderoff joins Kent State staff

Former Hoosier assistant coach Rob Senderoff is returning to Kent State.\nSenderoff, who was an assistant coach for the Golden Flashes from 2002-2006, resigned from former coach Kelvin Sampson’s staff last October after a University investigation found that Senderoff made impermissible phone calls to recruits as an assistant coach for the Hoosiers.\nThe Golden Flashes are excited to welcome back Senderoff, who will join new head coach Geno Ford.\n“We are pleased to have Rob rejoin our staff under Coach Ford,” Athletic Director Laing Kennedy said in a statement. “I look forward to what he brings to our program and the positive impact he will have with our student-athletes both on and off the court.”\nKennedy told The Associated Press that Senderoff will be involved in recruiting for Kent State and will not be under any restrictions. Although Senderoff resigned from IU and was not fired, the NCAA said the assistant coach initiated impermissible three-way phone calls, lied to IU’s compliance staff and to NCAA investigators.\nSampson resigned in February after the release of the NCAA report, receiving a $750,000 buyout from IU.\nDespite his alleged NCAA infractions, Kent State is comfortable with Senderoff taking over recruiting responsibilities.\n“We wouldn’t have moved forward if we didn’t feel good about it,” Kennedy told The Associated Press.\nSenderoff is the second former member of the Hoosier coaching staff to get a new job in the last few days. Ray McCallum, who served both years under Sampson at IU, was hired as the head coach at Detroit. A former head coach at Ball State, McCallum is looking forward to being a head coach again.\n“This is a tremendous day. (University of Detroit-Michigan) has a great basketball tradition, and I’m glad to be part of the next chapter,” McCallum said in a statement. “I have recruited in the area throughout my coaching career and I know the passion for basketball Detroit fans do possess. I’m very pleased that the UDM administration has chosen me for this position.”\nSenderoff has been praised by many coaches, including Sampson, as a great basketball mind and a future head coach candidate. Besides his recruiting ties to New York, Senderoff is a noted developer of post players.\n“I asked people who they think is a great young guy in this area and the name I kept hearing was Rob Senderoff,” Sampson said in a statement when he hired Senderoff in May 2006. “I think Rob is going to be a great addition to our staff. He’s young, energetic and really good with people. He is going to be an outstanding head coach one of these days.”\nFord, who took over the Kent State program after former coach Jim Christian left for Texas Christian University, said he was happy to add an experienced assistant in Senderoff.\n“We are really lucky to get someone with Rob’s quality and experience on our staff,” Ford said in a statement. “He is (a) proven national recruiter and an excellent on the floor coach that brought five guys on our current roster to Kent State. His familiarity with the program gives him credibility with the players.”\nFor Senderoff, this will be an opportunity to start over and clean up his reputation after the NCAA allegations.\n“I’m excited to be back at Kent State,” Senderoff said in a statement. “I appreciate Coach Ford, Athletic Director Laing Kennedy and the University administration for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to continuing the success and tradition of the program.”