PROVIDENCE – In a move that surprised no one, Providence College fired basketball coach Tim Welsh today. The school said it will begin an immediate search for a replacement.

Welsh and athletic director Bob Driscoll met on campus this morning, according to sports-information director Arthur Parks. In a statement released by the school, Driscoll said, “I appreciate all the hard work and dedication that Tim has put into this program over the last 10 years. He represented the College with dignity and class. However, I felt that it was in the best interest of the program and Providence College to make a change in leadership.” Welsh had one year left on his contract and PC will owe him close to $800,000, a mid-level salary in the Big East. Welsh’s record in 10 years as coach was 160-143. Providence qualified for the postseason in 5 of those 10 seasons, but didn’t enjoy much success. PC was 0-2 in two NCAA Tournaments and 1-3 in three NITs. The Friars were 1-9 in the Big East Tournament over the last decade.

The team was hampered by injuries this year, but the season – which began with hopes of making the NCAAs – was nonetheless a disappointment. The Friars played poorly down the stretch and finished 15-16, with a 6-12 league record, winding up 12th the 16-team Big East. The Friars’ season ended Wednesday, when they again stumbled in the final minutes of the game – as they had so often this year – and were defeated by West Virginia, 58-53, in the first round of the conference tournament.

Much of the fan base had turned against Welsh in recent weeks, and his return had been considered unlikely. Driscoll said the search for a new coach will start immediately.

“This is a very important decision and I will work diligently to find someone who will lead our men’s basketball program and guide our student-athletes,” Driscoll said. “Providence College has a rich tradition in men’s basketball. I have very high standards for the program and I expect that we will find the best person to move the program forward.” Driscoll’s search will be an interesting one. Unlike 10 years ago, when Welsh was the clear-cut, rising star in the East after three strong seasons at Iona, there is no one who clearly fits that bill this time around. In addition, the expanded Big East of today is different than the league of a decade earlier. The league is now loaded with national powers like Georgetown, Connecticut, Louisville and Pittsburgh, to name just a few, and cracking the top seven or eight and getting into the NCAA Tournament is a much bigger challenge than it was in 1998. PC could look for an established, winning coach or take a chance on a younger, more aggressive staff that could make deeper inroads on the recruiting trail. Some of the names mentioned in recent weeks that make some sense include George Mason’s Jim Larranaga (a PC alumnus whose team played in the Final Four two years ago and is back in the NCAAs this season), Kent State’s Jim Christian (a 1988 URI grad) and Drake’s Keno Davis.

kmcnamar@projo.com