The media gathered for a press conference Thursday expecting UMass to introduce Pat Kelsey as its new head basketball coach. But Kelsey never showed up and the presser was abruptly canceled.
Kelsey “realized UMass wasn't the place for him” a source told Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel, and expects to return to Winthrop, where he has been the head coach since 2012. ESPN’s Jeff Goodman first reported that Kelsey “had a change of heart.”
The school announced Kelsey’s hiring Tuesday and promoted his arrival on social media. In a statement, the coach said he and his wife “are thrilled to be joining the UMass family and the Amherst community.