Boots calls it quits

After 503 wins and 25 years with the University of South Dakota, men’s basketball head coach Dave Boots called it quits, announcing his retirement Tuesday afternoon.

Senior center Trevor Gruis said he was blindsided by the news of Boots’ departure.

“It was extremely shocking and I am sure we will be in shock for a day or two,” Gruis said. “Nobody saw it coming, he just sat us down after workouts and told us.”

According to assistant coach Joey James, Boots informed coaches of his departure around 4:30 p.m.

Athletes were informed shortly after.

Boots released a statement talking about his time as USD’s head coach.

“For the past 25 years, I have enjoyed leading the Coyote basketball program. The time has come for a new face and new voice to now lead,” he said.

Boots, 57, retires as the winningest coach in team history with a 503-235 record at USD. Adding on the victories he gathered during stints at Augsburg College and Anoka Ramsey Community College, Boots had a 618-298 over his 32 year career.

USD Athletic Director David Herbster said Boots informed him of his sudden retirement Tuesday morning.

“I’ll never fully understand the timing,” Herbster said. “Immediately the focus is to pick up and move on and help our program moving forward. I can’t be spending a lot of time thinking why.”

In 2011, Boots helped usher in the Coyote basketball program into the Summit League and Division I. According to Sports Information Director Bryan Boettcher a press conference for Boots has not been scheduled.

Boots’ retirement comes just over three weeks prior to the start of practice.

Herbster said he needs to move fast and start the process of getting the program moving again.

“One of the things that makes this decision a little more difficult in the sense that we start practice at the end of the month. We start practice in three, three-and-a-half weeks, and we’ve got to have a coach in place by the time that happens,” Herbster said.

James said the team must continue preparing for the season as if nothing has changed.

“We will continue doing everything we always do,” James said. “Continue individual workouts, players will go to class and lift weights. It’s not going to change a whole lot, Boots just won’t be around.”