Coach Nancy Darsch agrees to multi-year contract

COACH NANCY DARSCH AGREES TO NEW CONTRACT

     COLUMBUS -- Nancy M. Darsch, head coach of the women's
basketball team at The Ohio State University since 1985, has
agreed to a contract to coach the Buckeyes through June 30, 1998.

     Ohio State Athletic Director James L. Jones announced the
contract agreement Monday (1/3), subject to approval by the
university's Board of Trustees.  The agreement is the first
multi-year contract extended to the coach of a women's team at
Ohio State.

     "I am pleased that we can count on Nancy Darsch as a Buckeye
coach for at least four more seasons," Jones said.

     "This contract recognizes Nancy's outstanding coaching
skills, as well as the rapidly growing popularity of women's
basketball at Ohio State.  I am sure her many fans join me in
applauding her coaching achievements.  She and the athletes she
coaches are outstanding ambassadors for Ohio State."

     E. Gordon Gee, president of Ohio State, signed Darsch's
contract on behalf of the university.  "I join Jim Jones in
expressing my appreciation to Coach Darsch for her work as coach
and mentor to our student athletes," Gee said.  "I'm proud of
Nancy's accomplishments and those of her teams.  They are
outstanding representatives of the university."

     "I'm very pleased with Ohio State's decision to extend a
multi-year contract to the women's basketball coach," Darsch said
after signing the agreement.  "It will serve as another
reflection of the university's commitment to women's basketball.
It's a great reward after working very hard for the university
and for the program and will challenge us to work even harder in
the future."

     Darsch, 42, coached the women's basketball team last season
to a second-place finish in the NCAA tournament.  The team also
was co-champion of the Big 10 with the University of Iowa.
Coming into the 1993-94 campaign, her record at Ohio State was
170 wins and 69 losses in eight seasons.

     The contract, which is retroactive to Nov. 1, 1993, sets
Darsch's salary at $75,000 through June 30, 1994; $85,000 from
July 1, 1994, through June 30, 1995; and $90,000 from July 1,
1995, through June 30, 1996.  Salary increases for the final two
years of the contract will be determined by the athletic
director.

     The contract also provides bonuses to Darsch of $2,500 and
to her assistant coaches of $1,000 each for each post-season NCAA
tournament game in which the team participates.  If the team wins
the Big 10 title, Darsch will earn a bonus equal to 10 percent of
her salary and the assistant coaches each will receive $1,000.

     A native of Massachusetts, Darsch earned a bachelor's degree
in 1973 from Springfield College, Springfield, Mass.  She then
coached basketball, field hockey and softball at Longmeadow High
School, Longmeadow, Mass., from 1973-78.

     She was associate basketball coach at the University of
Tennessee in Knoxville in 1978-79 while earning a master's degree
in physical education.  She was assistant basketball coach, top
recruiter and head scout at Tennessee from 1979-85.  She also was
an assistant coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic women's basketball
team.

     The only other Ohio State coaches with multi-year contracts
are Head Football Coach John Cooper, whose contract expires Dec.
31, 1995, and Head Men's Basketball Coach Randy Ayers, whose
contract expires June 30, 1999.

#

Contact: James L. Jones, (614) 292-7572.
Written by Steve Sterrett.


[Submitted by: STERRETT  (sterrett@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Mon, 03 Jan 1994 17:38:00 -0500 (EST)]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.