The University of Minnesota has expressed interest in University of Cincinnati women's basketball coach Laurie Pirtle for its coaching vacancy, Tom Hathaway, UC assistant athletic director/media relations, confirmed Friday.

        “Our athletic director (Bob Goin) is aware that the University of Minnesota has an interest in Pirtle, and she in them,” Hathaway said.

        The vacancy arose when Brenda Oldfield accepted the head coaching position at Maryland April 2.

        Pirtle could not be reached for comment.

        Pirtle, who has coached UC for 16 seasons, led the Bearcats to school records in 2001-02 with an 11-0 start and 27-5 overall mark. UC won its first Conference USA Tournament title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

        In her one season with Minnesota, Oldfield took the program from an 8-20 record to 22-8 and third place in the Big Ten. Oldfield, the Associated Press coach of the year, led the Gophers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in eight years.

        Minnesota recently has been embroiled in financial problems, resulting in university officials' decisions to merge the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic departments and drop men's gymnastics and men's and women's golf.

        Women's AD Chris Voelz has resigned from her position effective June 16, but will hire a women's basketball coach before departing.

        The position is expected to be filled before possible NCAA sanctions are announced. This weekend officials will meet with the NCAA's infractions committee for alleged violations incurred under former coach Cheryl Littlejohn.

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