The Jimmy Collins Era ends

Jimmy Collins retires as UIC's all-time wins leader

UIC Flames head coach Jimmy Collins is calling it a career.

Just a week after associate head coach Tracy Dildy jumped ship for Chicago State, the dean of Horizon League coaches made his retirement official, leaving the only team he has served as a head coach after 14 years at the helm.

Collins racked up a record of 218 wins against 208 losses in his career with the Flames.

“It is difficult to leave UIC and the great student-athletes who are returning,” said Collins. “After much introspection, I feel it is my time to enjoy retirement and have more time with my family,” Collins said in a press release at UICFlames.com.

The Flames will begin an immediate national search for a candidate, according to UIC Athletic Director Jim Schmidt.  UIC becomes the third opening in Chicago this season, following Jerry Wainwright and Benjy Taylor’s firings at DePaul and Chicago State, respectively.  Wainwright was replaced by former Clemson coach Oliver Purnell, while Taylor was replaced by Collins’ right-hand man, Tracy Dildy.

Names that have surfaced in the extremely young process include Tracy Webster and Gene Cross, who was fired after last season at Toledo.