SUPER BOWL 2012

A Providence-based web site is reporting that Andre LaFleur, who just completed his 10th season as a UConn men’s basketball assistant coach, will soon be named the associate head coach at Providence. Former Fairfield coach Ed Cooley was named PC’s new head coach last month.

GoLocalProv.com says that LaFleur will be named to the position sometime next week, possibly as soon as Monday.

A source within the Providence program told the Register that LaFleur’s hire is “very close.”

LaFleur, 46, joined Jim Calhoun’s staff at UConn in 2001 as director of basketball operations, a role he served for three seasons. Prior to the 2004-05 season, he was elevated to assistant coach. LaFleur played for Calhoun at Northeastern in the early 1980’s.

While it might seem odd that an assistant on a national championship squad would take a job at a struggling program like PC, LaFleur’s options at UConn in the future appeared limited. Kevin Ollie, just hired as an assistant last year, is a favorite to take over as head coach once Calhoun retires, according to several sources within the UConn program.

As an associate head coach at PC, LaFleur would also be a step closer to a head coaching position he has been looking for for years now. He has long been tight with Cooley, a Providence native.

LaFleur landed several top recruits for the Huskies over the years, including Kemba Walker, who went out of his way to praise LaFleur during his press conference to announce he’s going pro on Tuesday in Storrs.